What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventRicinoleth-40
CleansingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Morus Alba Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Carrageenan
Erythritol
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Anogeissus Leiocarpus Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Phytate
Hydrangea Arborescens Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Root Extract
BleachingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Lateriflora Extract
Skin ConditioningPentapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Water, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Carrageenan, Erythritol, Sodium PCA, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anogeissus Leiocarpus Bark Extract, Sodium Phytate, Hydrangea Arborescens Root Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Polysorbate 20, Resveratrol, Scutellaria Lateriflora Extract, Pentapeptide-21, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
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 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 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
