What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningCalcium Pantothenate
Acacia Senegal Gum Extract
Poloxamer 407
EmulsifyingPolyvinyl Alcohol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Water, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Aminomethyl Propanol, Carbomer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Yeast Extract, Calcium Pantothenate, Acacia Senegal Gum Extract, Poloxamer 407, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Hyaluronic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycereth-7 Triacetate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
PCA
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propanediol, Glycereth-7 Triacetate, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Betaine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium PCA, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, PCA, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Proline
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aminomethyl Propanol is used to adjust the pH of products. It is also used as a base to create other organic compounds. Having a balanced pH is important for protecting your skin.
Aminomethyl propanol is safe to use in cosmetics up to 1%. It is soluble in water.
Carbomer 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 EthylhexylglycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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
