This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Urea and Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This brightening moisturizer is formulated around Tranexamic Acid and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid to fade the look of dark spots and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientSodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantUrea
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStyrene/Vp Copolymer
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingSerine
MaskingCitrus Sinensis Peel Extract
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingCarnosine
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Algin
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPullulan
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingElettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingLeontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCananga Odorata Flower Oil
MaskingPolianthes Tuberosa Extract
MaskingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingCollagen
MoisturisingSorbic Acid
PreservativePalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCeteareth-20
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningSyringa Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Trehalose, Urea, Ethylhexylglycerin, Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Serine, Citrus Sinensis Peel Extract, Citric Acid, Carnosine, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pullulan, Disodium Phosphate, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Polianthes Tuberosa Extract, Potassium Phosphate, Collagen, Sorbic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Ceteareth-20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Ceramide NP, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Maltodextrin, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Syringa Vulgaris Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantTranexamic Acid
AstringentDiglycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSorbitol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPPG-17-Buteth-17
Skin ConditioningPetrolatum
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Eicosanedioate/Tetradecanedioate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventPPG-24-Glycereth-24
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSqualane
EmollientMethylparaben
PreservativeGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeAmmonium Acrylates Copolymer
Tocopherol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Tranexamic Acid, Diglycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Pentylene Glycol, PPG-17-Buteth-17, Petrolatum, Polyglyceryl-10 Eicosanedioate/Tetradecanedioate, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, PPG-24-Glycereth-24, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate, Squalane, Methylparaben, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-51, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Triethanolamine, Sodium Metabisulfite, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate
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 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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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