What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-20
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Rice Bran Ferment Filtrate Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Water, PEG-8, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Polysorbate 80, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-20, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Rice Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Saccharomyces/Rice Bran Ferment Filtrate Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Glycosphingolipids, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Hydrogenated Lysolecithin, Tocopherol, Arginine
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
PEG-8
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
EDTA
Styrene/Vp Copolymer
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tranexamic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, PEG-8, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citric Acid, EDTA, Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, 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 GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinPEG-8 is a synthetic polymer used as a humectant and solvent.
This ingredient is able to help dissolve active ingredients, including water. This gives it humectant properties.
It is soluble in water. The number '8' stands for the molecular weight of the ingredient.
Learn more about PEG-8Pentylene 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 HyaluronateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about Tocopherol
