What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Nonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingRaspberry Ketone
Masking
Diethoxyethyl Succinate
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingVerbascum Thapsus Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantMaltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Alpha-Arbutin, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide EOP, Nonapeptide-1, Bisabolol, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NP, Arginine, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Ng, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Panthenol, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Raspberry Ketone, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Trisiloxane, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Verbascum Thapsus Extract, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tranexamic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ceramide As, Carnosine, Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl, Ectoin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Ergothioneine, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantOctanediol
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glutathione
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tyrosine
Skin ConditioningSaxifraga Sarmentosa Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Seed Oil
Emollient
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid
Antioxidant
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
PEG-60 Almond Glycerides
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Arbutin, Dipropylene Glycol, Octanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glutathione, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Acetyl Tyrosine, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Seed Oil, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Oleanolic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Sodium Sulfite
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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol 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 PanthenolPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a texture enhancer and pH adjuster.
It is be used to thicken water-based products and create a gel-texture with a velvet feel.
One manufacturer claims this ingredient to have a pH range of 2-8 and to be biodegradable.
This ingredient is also known as Sepimax Zen.
Learn more about Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6Sodium 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
