What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
PEG-32
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientDimethiconol
Emollient
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Honey Extract
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Trehalose
Humectant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantTrideceth-10
CleansingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSerine
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialAlgin
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Pullulan
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sebacic Acid
Buffering10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid
Skin Conditioning1,10-Decanediol
SolventWater, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethicone, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG-32, Isononyl Isononanoate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Dimethiconol, Alpha-Arbutin, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Honey Extract, Urea, Trehalose, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Trideceth-10, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Serine, Pentylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium Phosphate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Pullulan, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Potassium Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Sorbate, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Sebacic Acid, 10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid, 1,10-Decanediol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Algae Extract
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventArtemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium
Zinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate
HumectantPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Creatine
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingDiglycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Water, Butylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Algae Extract, Methylpropanediol, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Beta-Glucan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium, Zinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Squalane, Creatine, Sodium Polyacrylate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Diglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dna, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus 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.
Sodium 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
