What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPEG-400
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPPG-24-Glycereth-24
EmulsifyingPEG-6
HumectantPEG-32
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingAlpha-Arbutin
AntioxidantTriethanolamine
BufferingStyrene/Vp Copolymer
Disodium EDTA
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningFucose
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSorbic Acid
PreservativeCarnosine
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Hydrolysate
HumectantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentWater, Diglycerin, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-400, Dipropylene Glycol, PPG-24-Glycereth-24, PEG-6, PEG-32, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chlorphenesin, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Alpha-Arbutin, Triethanolamine, Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Fucose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Carnosine, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Maltodextrin
Tranexamic Acid
AstringentDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDiglycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
EmulsifyingPEG-8
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingEDTA
Styrene/Vp Copolymer
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTranexamic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, PEG-8, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citric Acid, EDTA, Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Diglycerin is a humectant. It is derived from glycerin, which is naturally found in your skin.
As a humectant, it helps draw moisture to the skin from the air.
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene 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 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 GlycolPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium 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 HyaluronateWe don't have a description for Styrene/Vp Copolymer yet.
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about Tocopherol