What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSea Water
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tripropylene Glycol
Antioxidant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Emulsifying
Gellan Gum
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Malachite Extract
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Water, Sea Water, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tripropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Beta-Glucan, Xylitol, Propanediol, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Gellan Gum, Sodium Dna, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Malachite Extract, Arginine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Disodium EDTA
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSucrose
Humectant
Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Xylitol, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Adenosine, Polyglutamic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sucrose, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate
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
Beta-Glucan is a polysaccharide. It can be derived from the cell walls of seaweed, oats, yeast, and fungi. It hydrates the skin and helps boost your skin's natural barrier.
As an antioxidant, beta-glucan helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Studies show this ingredient may be an effective wrinkle reducer as it can deeply penetrate into skin. It has also been show to help with wound healing.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanButylene 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 AcidMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolSodium 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 WaterXylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.
In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.
The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.
As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.
Learn more about Xylitol
