What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantTrehalose
HumectantGlycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
EmulsifyingSodium Dna
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Zea Mays Kernel Extract
Biosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantFructan
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlucose
HumectantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Sodium Dna
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningMyrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingGallic Acid
AntioxidantPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingSodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningXylose
HumectantWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Trehalose, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Sodium Dna, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Hyaluronic Acid, Fructan, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucose, Ascorbic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Dna, Saccharide Isomerate, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Tripeptide-1, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Alcohol Denat., Caffeine, Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pantothenic Acid, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Gallic Acid, Phosphatidylcholine, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Polyglutamic Acid, Xylose
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingDiglycerin
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingSodium Dna
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPrunus Persica Flower Extract
MoisturisingHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientPaeonia Lactiflora Extract
AstringentPrunus Serrulata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Tranexamic Acid
AstringentLysine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingThreonine
Serine
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantProline
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingValine
MaskingMethionine
Skin ConditioningIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningTyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingCysteine
AntioxidantWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Diglycerin, Glycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Dna, Xanthan Gum, Prunus Persica Flower Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Extract, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Tranexamic Acid, Lysine, Histidine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, Glycine, Alanine, Valine, Methionine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Cysteine
Reviews
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
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSodium DNA is an emerging anti-aging ingredient.
It is created by taking deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and purifying it with sodium hydroxide.
The DNA is extracted from several different animal sources, including: calf thymus, the gonadic tissue of a male sturgeon, or herring / salmon sperm.
You have probably seen this ingredient in anti-aging skincare. But what is it?
DNA is composed of nucleotides, or chemical building blocks. Nucleotides include adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). Talk about a flashback to biology! Nucleosides are formed from these nucleotides.
The science behind Sodium DNA is based on an ingredient called Polydeoxyribonucleotide or PDRN.
PDRN are DNA fragments mainly extracted from the sperm cells of trout or salmon. Meaning, PDRN can be derived from Sodium DNA.
PDRN consists of chains of nucleotides and nucleosides mentioned above. They can range anywhere from 80 - 2000 pairs.
Studies show PDRN has the following properties:
Most of the research on PDRN has been done using injectable forms. That’s important, because PDRN is a large molecule and doesn’t absorb well through the skin. So if you’re applying it topically, the effects are likely to be much milder.
Still, topical Sodium DNA is emerging as a trendy anti-aging ingredient. It’s generally well-tolerated and offers good biocompatibility with human skin, making it a low-risk addition to most routines.
Further studies are needed to truly confirm this ingredients anti-aging ability (Remember, retinol has decades of research!).
Sodium DNA may be sourced from fish, animal tissue, or plants. Since this isn’t always disclosed, we recommend asking the brand directly if the ingredient’s origin is important to you.
Learn more about Sodium DnaSodium 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 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