What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Betaine, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Allantoin, Sodium Phytate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Betaine
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingArtemisia Annua Extract
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Squalane
Emollient
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Propanediol, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Artemisia Annua Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Squalane
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium 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
