What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Agar
MaskingAlpha-Glucan
HumectantArginine
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingDimethicone
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Glucosyl Ceramide
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTriethyl Citrate
MaskingWater, 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
Niacinamide
SmoothingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
EmollientPEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingBeheneth-5
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientPullulan
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingEDTA
Behenyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeNiacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate, Beheneth-5, Dimethicone, Pullulan, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, EDTA, Behenyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 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 Hyaluronate