What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hexanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Quassia Amara Wood Extract
Skin ConditioningSpilanthes Acmella Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tapioca Starch
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C15-19 Alkane
SolventSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
Ammonium Lactate
Buffering
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Polyglycerin-6
HumectantParfum
Masking
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hexanediol, Glycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Betaine, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Quassia Amara Wood Extract, Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract, Urea, Caffeine, Tocopherol, Tapioca Starch, Arachidyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, C15-19 Alkane, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Ammonium Lactate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polyglycerin-6, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Polyacrylamide
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningC12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Polyacrylamide, Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Synthetic Beeswax, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethiconol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Laureth-7, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-14 Pareth-12, Sodium 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.
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 CarbomerGlycerin (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
