What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventSodium Chloride
MaskingRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolyaminopropyl Biguanide
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningZinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDextrin
AbsorbentDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingProtease
ExfoliatingLipase
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingLactose
HumectantMilk Protein
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSphingolipids
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Isododecane, Isohexadecane, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Propylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Chloride, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Phenoxyethanol, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Zinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dextrin, Disodium Phosphate, Potassium Phosphate, Protease, Lipase, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Phospholipids, Phenethyl Alcohol, Lactose, Milk Protein, Potassium Sorbate, Sphingolipids, Sodium Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPEG-7 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantPolyaminopropyl Biguanide
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingAnhydroxylitol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Xylitol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPhytic Acid
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin ConditioningAmylopectin
Dextrin
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-4
Skin ConditioningDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Chloride
Citric Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Glycerin, PEG-7 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Propanediol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Chlorphenesin, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Xylitylglucoside, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Sodium Chloride, Anhydroxylitol, Disodium EDTA, Xylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Amylopectin, Dextrin, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-10, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Disodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.
As an emulsifier, dextrin prevents ingredients from separating. This helps elongate a product's shelf life.
Studies show coating UV filters with dextrin prevents these ingredients from being absorbed. This helps UV ingredients last longer on the skin.
Learn more about DextrinDisodium Phosphate is a water-soluble powder used as a pH adjuster and mild chelating agent. It basically holds a specific pH and binds stray metal ions so your product stays stable.
This ingredient is usually used at very low levels and concentrations range from 0.000054% - 2.9%. The CIR Expert Panel states this ingredient to be non-irritating at current use levels.
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 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.
Polyaminopropyl Biguanide is a preservative.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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