What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aminobutyric Acid
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTropolone
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Pentapeptide-18
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Betaine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Aminobutyric Acid, Mica, CI 77891, Tropolone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Tin Oxide, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethyl Sulfone
SolventSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarrageenan
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Dimethyl Sulfone, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carrageenan, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Panthenol
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
