What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sodium Hyaluronate 50%
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-240/Hdi Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether
StabilisingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Glycerin
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hyaluronate 50%, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, PEG-240/Hdi Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Polyglutamic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, CI 42090
Hippophae Rhamnoides Water
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHippophae Rhamnoides Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Betaine, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AllantoinButylene 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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is also known as Macadamia Seed Oil. It's an emollient with a fatty acid profile that closely mirrors the skin's own lipid makeup.
The palmitoleic acid content is especially notable as it's somewhat rare in plant oils. Palmitoleic acid is something your skin already makes naturally. It helps keep cell membranes structured and plays a role in fighting off harmful microbes.
This palmitoleic content is also part of why macademia seed oil absorbs quickly and doesn't leave much of a greasy residue.
It also contains oleic acid, linoleic acid, and phytosterols that can help reduce redness.
In vitro research has shown the oil to have meaningful antioxidant activity, protect fats in the skin from oxidative damage, and slow down the enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid.
A 2024 clinical study found it effective at improving skin hydratino and reducing wrinkle appearance when formulated into nanoemulsions.
Because it carries oleic acid (C18) and palmitic acid (C16), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the Malassezia yeast metabolizes in the C11-24 chain length range.
You'll also see this ingredient listed as: Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil .
These two oils are identical in composition and M. ternifolia is an older INCI naming convention for the edible macadamia nut while M. integrifolia is the species actually cultivated for oil production. Both names refer to the same oil.
Learn more about Macadamia Ternifolia Seed OilSodium 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 Hyaluronate
