What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Erythritol
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningAnastatica Hierochuntica Extract
AstringentBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, 2,3-Butanediol, Panthenol, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Erythritol, Trehalose, Betaine, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingVigna Radiata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Malus Domestica Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Castanea Crenata Shell Extract
Skin ConditioningDiospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Campestris Sprout Extract
HumectantBrassica Oleracea Gemmifera Extract
AstringentHelianthus Annuus Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningPhaseolus Radiatus Sprout Extract
HumectantTriticum Vulgare Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Nonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Pentapeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Propanediol, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Xanthan Gum, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Gluconolactone, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract, Glucose, Malus Domestica Fruit Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Papain, Brassica Campestris Sprout Extract, Brassica Oleracea Gemmifera Extract, Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract, Phaseolus Radiatus Sprout Extract, Triticum Vulgare Sprout Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Pentapeptide-3, Tripeptide-1
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
Butylene 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 AcidHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSodium 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
