What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Human Bone Marrow Stem Cell Conditioned Media
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Acmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-37
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Human Bone Marrow Stem Cell Conditioned Media, Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Polysorbate 20, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-37, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Cutaneous Lysate
MoisturisingTetrapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamine
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract
HumectantCapryloyl Carnosine
Skin ConditioningPoloxamer 338
EmulsifyingSilica
Abrasive
Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Dextran
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Cutaneous Lysate, Tetrapeptide-21, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pullulan, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Proline, Arginine, Glycine, Glutamine, Chlorphenesin, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Capryloyl Carnosine, Poloxamer 338, Silica, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Dextran, Sorbitan Isostearate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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
