What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantLactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningAphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide
AbsorbentPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingAgar
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Cholesteryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientPvp
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Pullulan, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Lactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Agar, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Cholesteryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Pvp, Polysorbate 60, Polyglyceryl-6 Polyricinoleate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventCaprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantUrea
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningFragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientAlpinia Galanga Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantPhytosteryl/Decyltetradecyl Myristoyl Methyl Beta-Alaninate
EmollientGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantGlycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAlcohol
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeDimethicone
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Triethylhexanoin, Behenyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Diglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Urea, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Fragaria Ananassa Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Alpinia Galanga Leaf Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Phytosteryl/Decyltetradecyl Myristoyl Methyl Beta-Alaninate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Glycosyl Trehalose, Carbomer, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sclerotium Gum, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholButylene 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 GlycolWe don't have a description for Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride yet.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium 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 GlycerinLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil is the oil extracted from the seeds of the meadowfoam plant. This oil is non-fragrant and is an emollient. As an emollient, meadowfoam seed oil helps soften and hydrate the skin.
Meadowfoam seed oil is stable and has a long shelf life due to its chemical structure. It has the highest concentration of stable fatty-acids among plant oils, preventing it from degrading once exposed to oxygen.
Due to the fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Meadowfoam is native to California and Oregon.
Learn more about Limnanthes Alba Seed OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Sodium 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