What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantSqualane
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Agar
MaskingAlpha-Glucan
HumectantArginine
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Glucosyl Ceramide
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Water, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Squalane, Triethylhexanoin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Agar, Alpha-Glucan, Arginine, Citric Acid, Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Glucosyl Ceramide, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Triethyl Citrate
Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningFraxinus Rhynchophylla Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
TonicAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Phytate
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHouttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Glycerin, Water, Ethylhexyl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Fraxinus Rhynchophylla Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Methyl Trimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Betaine, Glyceryl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Phytate, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Carbomer
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene 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 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 GlycolSodium 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
