What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Phyllostachys Pubescens Shoot Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Aspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum
Emulsion Stabilising
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Glucose
Humectant
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentWater, Betaine, Glycerin, Propanediol, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Phyllostachys Pubescens Shoot Bark Extract, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Aspergillus Ferment, Sodium Gluconate, Hyaluronic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glucose, Cyclodextrin
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventTriethylhexanoin
MaskingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Vinyldimethicone
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFructan
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Glucose
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Cholesterol
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Glycol
SolventHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantStearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Methylpropanediol, Triethylhexanoin, Niacinamide, Arachidyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Vinyldimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Glucoside, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fructan, Ceramide NP, Adenosine, Gluconolactone, Disodium EDTA, Glucose, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Cholesterol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Dipeptide-2, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Benzyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Glucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
