What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantMethylene Glycol
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLactobacillus/(Lemon/Orange) Peel Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTranexamic Acid
AstringentNicotinoyl Dipeptide-22
Skin ConditioningTranexamoyl Dipeptide-22
BleachingWater, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Methylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactobacillus/(Lemon/Orange) Peel Extract Ferment Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Nicotinoyl Dipeptide-22, Tranexamoyl Dipeptide-22
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Ferox Leaf Juice Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Propanediol
SolventIsohexadecane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingAcrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningLaureth-1 Phosphate
Ectoin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Aloe Ferox Leaf Juice Extract, Acrylates/Polytrimethylsiloxymethacrylate Copolymer, Polyquaternium-7, Propanediol, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Chlorphenesin, Polysorbate 60, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Panthenol, Laureth-1 Phosphate, Ectoin, Potassium Hydroxide
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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