What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveChamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Tromethamine
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Allantoin, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Tromethamine
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientLecithin
EmollientGlycereth-18 Ethylhexanoate
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Benzoate
MaskingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantGlyceryl Oleate Citrate
EmulsifyingGlycereth-18
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Sodium Hyaluronate, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Oleate, Lecithin, Glycereth-18 Ethylhexanoate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Benzoate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Glycereth-18, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, 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.
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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