What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Niacinamide
SmoothingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningWine Extract
AntioxidantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantΑ-Olefin Oligomer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
HumectantLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingBeheneth-5
EmulsifyingPoly(2-Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine-Co-N-Butyl Methacrylate)
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEDTA
Triethanolamine
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
HumectantNiacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Wine Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Α-Olefin Oligomer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Diglycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate, Beheneth-5, Poly(2-Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine-Co-N-Butyl Methacrylate), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, EDTA, Triethanolamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Hyaluronic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCarnosine
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHyaluronic 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 AcidPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene Glycol