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
Glycol
HumectantPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantSqualane
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Glucosyl Ceramide
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Agar
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningWater, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Squalane, Triethylhexanoin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone, Triethyl Citrate, Arginine, Glucosyl Ceramide, Alpha-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Agar, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Decylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Triethanolamine
BufferingZea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Beta-Carotene, BHT, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carbomer, Dipropylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Methylisothiazolinone, PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Triethanolamine, Zea Mays Oil
Reviews
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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 collagen has a misleading name because it is actually a mixture of various proteins/peptides. This ingredient has skin hydrating properties.
Collagen is the most abundant type of structural protein found in your body. In your skin, it is responsible for keeping it firm and youthful.
Hydrolyzed Collagen is created by breaking up proteins into smaller peptide bonds. These peptides act as humectants and emollients.
Humectants are great at holding onto water, keeping skin hydrated. Emollients create a thin barrier on the skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
There is ongoing debate about whether hydrolyzed collagen works because it increases skin hydration. Skin hydration is also linked to elasticity and the appearance of wrinkles.
Collagen or peptide ingredients can be used in the morning or night. They will not increase sun sensitivity, but you should always wear sunscreen during the day.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient is a great hair conditioner as well.
This ingredient can be extracted from different sources, including:
Vegan collagen is derived from yeast, bacteria, or plant sources. Vegan collagen would go by a different INCI name, such as hydrolyzed soy protein.
The results are varied.
A study from 2021 found hydrolyzed collagen increased elasticity and improved wrinkles in 1,125 participants between age 20 and 70. Another study found increased skin thickness in participants between the ages of 45 to 59.
However, It is difficult to prove that oral collagen will end up working on your skin. Many of the studies using hydrolyzed collagen also add several vitamins and nutrients into the test mixture as well.
Further studies are needed at this time.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed CollagenHydrolyzed 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 AcidSodium 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
