What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPropanediol
SolventAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantAlgae Extract
EmollientSucrose
HumectantAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantLens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMolasses Extract
Skin ConditioningMyrtus Communis Leaf Extract
PerfumingAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveTriticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientCladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingHydrolyzed Prunus Domestica
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
BufferingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantSqualane
EmollientOryzanol
Skin ConditioningResveratrol
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPEG-75
HumectantOleth-3 Phosphate
SurfactantSorbitol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientOleth-3
EmulsifyingSodium Polyaspartate
HumectantOleth-5
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol Caprylate
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningCholeth-24
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCeteth-24
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
BHT
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Algae Extract, Sucrose, Acetyl Glucosamine, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Molasses Extract, Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Salicylic Acid, Hydrolyzed Prunus Domestica, Caffeine, Sodium Lactate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Squalane, Oryzanol, Resveratrol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG-75, Oleth-3 Phosphate, Sorbitol, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleth-3, Sodium Polyaspartate, Oleth-5, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol Caprylate, Dextrin, Faex Extract, Choleth-24, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Ceteth-24, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventRicinoleth-40
CleansingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialMorus Alba Fruit Extract
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycolic Acid
BufferingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
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