What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Collagen Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Pullulan
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Pistacia Lentiscus Gum
MaskingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Trehalose, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Collagen Extract, Glyceryl Glucoside, Pullulan, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Maltodextrin, Pistacia Lentiscus Gum, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Xanthan Gum
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Collagen, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Propanediol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Phenoxyethanol
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
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinButylene 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 CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 Tripeptide-5 is a synthetic signal lipopeptide. This just means it is a three amino acid chain bolted onto a palmitic acid tail so it can slip through the skin's lipid barrier.
This peptide has a "build more, lose less" approach.
It's designed to mimic the collagen-stimulating activity in your skin by copying a snippet of one of your skin's own matrix proteins. This nudges fibroblasts into making more collagen while inhibiting the enzyme that breaks down skin protein.
The manufacturer's in vivo study of 45 volunteers found 1% and 2.5% reduced the appearance of wrinkles by 7% and 12% respectively, after using it twice daily for 84 days.
This is in the expected range for peptides; they're slow and cumulative actives and not overnight fixers.
Typical use levels range from 1-3% and this ingredient gets along with pretty much everything.
On the fungal acne front:
Although palmitic acid sits in the chain length that Malassezia can feed on, this ingredient has it locked in an amine bond. This makes it hard for Malassezia to access as a source of food, and therefore fungal acne safe.
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 HyaluronateTrehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.
As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.
In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.
Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.
Learn more about TrehaloseWater. 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
