What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine Salicylate
Antimicrobial
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine Salicylate, Betaine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Hydroxide, Gluconolactone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Carbomer, Arginine, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Annua Extract
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
Masking
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
Masking
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Glyceryl Glucoside, Ascorbic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Artemisia Annua Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidSodium 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
