What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingSqualane
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Glucosyl Ceramide
Skin Conditioning
Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide
AbsorbentDimethicone
Emollient
PPG-17-Buteth-17
Skin ConditioningTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium Succinate
MaskingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Agar
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Succinic Acid
BufferingAlpha-Glucan
HumectantAmmonium Acrylates Copolymer
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Pentylene Glycol, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, Triethylhexanoin, Squalane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Glucosyl Ceramide, Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide, Dimethicone, PPG-17-Buteth-17, Triethyl Citrate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Succinate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Agar, Disodium EDTA, Succinic Acid, Alpha-Glucan, Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer, Methylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDiglycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-12 Olefin)
Skin ConditioningLactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Diglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-12 Olefin), Lactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenoxyethanol, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Benzoate, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol
Reviews
Alternatives
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 GlycolDimethicone 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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed 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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.
Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:
Learn more about Sodium Acetylated HyaluronateSodium 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
