What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Tetrapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingCyclodextrin
AbsorbentPolydextrose
HumectantResveratrol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Water, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Propanediol, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Gluconolactone, Tetrapeptide-21, Butylene Glycol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Inulin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Cyclodextrin, Polydextrose, Resveratrol, Panthenol, Allantoin, Sodium Gluconate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ectoin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ectoin is a compound found naturally in some species of bacteria. It can be synthetically created for skincare use.
This ingredient is an osmolyte; Osmolytes help organisms survive osmotic shock (it protects them from extreme conditions). It does this by influencing the properties of biological fluids within cells.
When applied to the skin, ectoin helps bind water molecules to protect our skin. The water forms a sort of armor for the parts of our skin cells, enzymes, proteins, and more.
Besides this, ectoin has many uses in skincare:
A study from 2004 found ectoin to counteract the damage from UV-A exposure at different cell levels. It has also been shown to protect skin against both UV-A, UV-B rays, infrared light, and visible light.
Studies show ectoin to have dual-action pollution protection: first, it protects our skin from further pollution damage. Second, it helps repair damage from pollution.
In fact, ectoin has been shown to help with:
Fun fact: In the EU, ectoin is used in inhalation medication as an anti-pollution ingredient.
Ectoin is a highly stable ingredient. It has a wide pH range of 1-9. Light, oxygen, and temperature do not affect this ingredient.
The chemical name for this ingredient is Tetrahydromethylpyrimidine Carboxylic Acid.
Learn more about EctoinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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
