What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingTropolone
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDecylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Arginine
Masking
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chondroitin Sulfate
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-30
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-37
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSorbic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Tropolone, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Decylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Arginine, Soluble Collagen, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-30, Acetyl Hexapeptide-37, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Pullulan
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Lactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide
AbsorbentPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Agar
MaskingDimethicone
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Cholesteryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientPvp
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Pullulan, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Lactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Agar, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Cholesteryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Pvp, Polysorbate 60, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 AcidThis ingredient is created by putting sodium hyaluronate through hydrolysis.
You might know this as 'mini' or 'ultra low-molecular weight' hyaluronic acid. The small molecule size means it is able to travel deeper in the skin.
According to studies, low molecular-weight hyaluronic acid can:
One study from 2011 found ultra-low weight HA to show pro-inflammatory properties. Another study from 2022 found it to downregulate UV-B induced inflammation.
Hydrolysis is a process of changing a molecule using water or enzymes.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Sodium HyaluronatePentylene 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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 HyaluronateSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.
A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.
A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.
More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerWater. 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
