What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract
AstringentWater
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Disodium EDTA
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMalt Extract
Skin ProtectingAdansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningAnastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Malt Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate
Oryza Sativa Bran Water 71%
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Diphenyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Seed Protein
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingArbutin
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Water 71%, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Panthenol, Betaine, Oryza Sativa Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Dextrin, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Oryza Sativa Seed Protein, Ceramide NP, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Arbutin, Ascorbic Acid, Allantoin, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Ceramide EOP
Reviews
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic 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 AcidHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidSodium 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
