What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Mel
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Collagen/Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Leaf Extract Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glucuronolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycine
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lidocaine Hcl
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Fructose
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Water, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Mel, Niacinamide, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Allantoin, Glucose, Pentylene Glycol, Lactobacillus/Collagen/Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Leaf Extract Ferment Lysate, Glucuronolactone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Glycine, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium PCA, Polyglutamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Urea, Propylene Glycol, Tropolone, Caprylyl Glycol, Lidocaine Hcl, Glycerin, Propanediol, Fructose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningCollagen
Moisturising
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingNiacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Methylpropanediol
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dianthus Chinensis Extract
HumectantPaeonia Suffruticosa Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glucose
Humectant
Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientStephania Tetrandra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Collagen, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Diglycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Methylpropanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dianthus Chinensis Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Extract, Allantoin, Phospholipids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Retinol, Phenoxyethanol, Glucose, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Stephania Tetrandra Root Extract
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
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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
