What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Heptapeptide-4
Humectant
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Water, Panthenol, Squalane, Propanediol, Ectoin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Betaine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Sodium Dna, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Cyclopentasiloxane, Trehalose, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Tocopherol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineEctoin 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 EctoinTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
