What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantPEG-9 Diglycidyl Ether/Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chlorphenesin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, PEG-9 Diglycidyl Ether/Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientSqualane
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Lactate
BufferingCholesterol
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
HumectantArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
MaskingPCA
HumectantTetrasodium EDTA
Glycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingSodium Salicylate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingPolyacrylamide
Linolenic Acid
CleansingCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Methylpropanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Panthenol, Ectoin, Betaine, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Glucoside, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Squalane, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Laureth-7, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Dipropylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium PCA, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Lactate, Cholesterol, Hyaluronic Acid, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, PCA, Tetrasodium EDTA, Glycine, Alanine, Sodium Benzoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Serine, Valine, Sodium Salicylate, Citric Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Threonine, Isoleucine, Proline, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Polyacrylamide, Linolenic Acid, Ceramide EOP
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 GlycolChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinGlycerin (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 PanthenolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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