What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantPotassium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantBenzyl Glycol
SolventHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Propanediol, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Xylitol, Methylpropanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Betaine, Glyceryl Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trehalose, Sodium PCA, Ceramide NP, Glucose, Serine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Potassium Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, CI 14700, Benzyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Hyaluronic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
Masking
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract
Skin ProtectingBrassica Oleracea Italica Sprout Extract
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Betaine, Carbomer, Arginine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dipropylene Glycol, Parfum, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Butylene Glycol, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Sprout Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
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 BetaineButylene 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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrolyzed 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 AcidMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSodium 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
