This hydrating essence is formulated around Snail Secretion Filtrate and Allantoin to hydrate skin and calm redness.
This anti-aging serum is formulated around Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice and Atelocollagen to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingAtelocollagen
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Glycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCarrageenan
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Phytate
Arginine
Masking
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Glycine
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Atelocollagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate, Glycoproteins, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Carrageenan, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Phytate, Arginine, Sodium Lactate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Coco-Glucoside, Hexyl Cinnamal, Glycine, Parfum, Proline, Sorbitol, Potassium Sorbate, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Alcohol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
