What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Capsicum Frutescens Resin
CleansingParfum
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lens Esculenta Seed Extract
Skin ProtectingLinalool
Perfuming
Menthol
Masking
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Benzoic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Capsicum Frutescens Resin, Parfum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lens Esculenta Seed Extract, Linalool, Menthol, Menthyl Lactate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Corn Glycerides
EmulsifyingSorbitol
Humectant
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Sodium Gluconate, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Trideceth-6, Sodium Hydroxide, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Corn Glycerides, Sorbitol, Isoamyl Laurate, Propylene Glycol Diheptanoate, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 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 HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
