What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningBambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Glucosamine Hcl
Glycosaminoglycans
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingMethylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCopper Lysinate/Prolinate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pisum Sativum Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide EOP, Glucosamine Hcl, Glycosaminoglycans, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Niacinamide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantLactic Acid
Buffering
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
EmollientSodium PCA
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Sophora Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ProtectingAscorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Trehalose
Humectant
Polyacrylate-13
Propanediol
Solvent
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyisobutene
Methylpropanediol
SolventCarrageenan
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Limonene
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Lactic Acid, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Sodium PCA, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sophora Japonica Flower Extract, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Trehalose, Polyacrylate-13, Propanediol, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyisobutene, Methylpropanediol, Carrageenan, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Limonene, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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 GlycerinPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a synthetic signal lipopeptide. This just means it is a three amino acid chain bolted onto a palmitic acid tail so it can slip through the skin's lipid barrier.
This peptide has a "build more, lose less" approach.
It's designed to mimic the collagen-stimulating activity in your skin by copying a snippet of one of your skin's own matrix proteins. This nudges fibroblasts into making more collagen while inhibiting the enzyme that breaks down skin protein.
The manufacturer's in vivo study of 45 volunteers found 1% and 2.5% reduced the appearance of wrinkles by 7% and 12% respectively, after using it twice daily for 84 days.
This is in the expected range for peptides; they're slow and cumulative actives and not overnight fixers.
Typical use levels range from 1-3% and this ingredient gets along with pretty much everything.
On the fungal acne front:
Although palmitic acid sits in the chain length that Malassezia can feed on, this ingredient has it locked in an amine bond. This makes it hard for Malassezia to access as a source of food, and therefore fungal acne safe.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
