What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Platycodon Grandiflorus Root Extract
Antioxidant
Angelica Gigas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCirsium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Capillaris Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningTaraxacum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCastanea Crenata Shell Extract
Skin ConditioningAcanthopanax Sessiliflorus Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientCitrus Unshiu Peel Extract
Masking
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sasa Quelpaertensis Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Platycodon Grandiflorus Root Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Cirsium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Artemisia Capillaris Leaf Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Bark Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Acanthopanax Sessiliflorus Bark Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Copper Tripeptide-1, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Sasa Quelpaertensis Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Beta-Glucan, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Carbomer, Arginine
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
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 high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 Hyaluronate
