What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningWithania Somnifera Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin ProtectingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantChrysin
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Callus Extract
Skin ProtectingPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Withania Somnifera Extract, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycerin, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Panthenol, Betaine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Superoxide Dismutase, Chrysin, Curcuma Longa Callus Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantGlycereth-26
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantNelumbo Nucifera Flower Water
TonicMannitol
HumectantHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPEG-8
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters
SurfactantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLeontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract
AntioxidantLactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Leptospermum Scoparium Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMyrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract
HumectantPiper Methysticum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Opuntia Streptacantha Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningStephania Tetrandra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningMyristoyl Hexapeptide-5
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningDipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin ConditioningArginine/Lysine Polypeptide
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycereth-26, Methyl Gluceth-20, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Water, Mannitol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, PEG-8, Water, Saccharide Isomerate, Pentylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, Allantoin, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract, Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Leptospermum Scoparium Leaf Extract, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract, Piper Methysticum Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, Opuntia Streptacantha Leaf Extract, Stephania Tetrandra Root Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Myristoyl Hexapeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Sodium 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