What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Rosa Rugosa Flower Water
Masking
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glucose
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Rosa Rugosa Flower Water, Glycereth-26, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Arginine, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Butylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Polysorbate 20, Glucose, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCorn Starch Modified
AbsorbentIlex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Cichorium Intybus Root Extract
MaskingWater, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Corn Starch Modified, Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Adenosine, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Caffeine, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract
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
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinButylene 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 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 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 AcidWater. 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
