What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingRubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract
AntioxidantCyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingApricot Kernel Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningAlkanna Tinctoria Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Rubus Chamaemorus Fruit Extract, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Apricot Kernel Amino Acids, Alkanna Tinctoria Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSteareth-21
CleansingDimethicone
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSteareth-2
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingDisodium EDTA
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientChrysanthellum Indicum Extract
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Steareth-21, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Steareth-2, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Tromethamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Disodium EDTA, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Geraniol, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateSodium 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 HyaluronateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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