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
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Juice
Antioxidant
Pyrus Malus Juice
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Algin
Masking
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Arginine
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Cinnamomum Camphora Bark Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vitis Vinifera Juice, Pyrus Malus Juice, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Vitis Vinifera Vine Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Algin, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Arginine, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora Bark Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Citral
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 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 AcidPanthenol 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 PanthenolPentylene 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 GlycolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
