What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Diethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Trehalose, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Panthenol, Arginine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Disodium EDTA, Lactobacillus Ferment, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Beta-Glucan, Centella Asiatica Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Sea Silt Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Olivine Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Nitrate
SoothingWater, Propanediol, Sea Silt Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Adenosine, Olivine Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Betaine, Glycerin, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Tocopherol, Benzyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Nitrate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer 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 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 GlycerinHydrolyzed 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 AcidPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
