What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide
AbsorbentHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantGlycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingDiglycerin
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
PEG-32
HumectantPEG-75
HumectantAmmonium Acrylates Copolymer
Disodium EDTA
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventDisodium Succinate
MaskingSuccinic Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Glycosyl Trehalose, Diglycerin, Sorbitol, Pentylene Glycol, Triethyl Citrate, Carbomer, Polyquaternium-51, PEG-32, PEG-75, Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Disodium Succinate, Succinic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Aspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Niacinamide, Betaine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Carbomer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Bisabolol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Trideceth-6, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Maltodextrin, Aspergillus Ferment, Lactobacillus, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, CI 42090
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium 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
