What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventPEG-32
HumectantTriethyl Citrate
MaskingMethyl Gluceth-10
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventPEG-75
HumectantMaltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningDisodium Succinate
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningViscum Album Leaf Extract
SoothingSuccinic Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningC12-13 Alkyl Glyceryl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantLactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantAphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide
AbsorbentSilica
AbrasiveWater, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Pentylene Glycol, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, PEG-32, Triethyl Citrate, Methyl Gluceth-10, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Trehalose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, PEG-75, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Disodium Succinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Potassium Hydroxide, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Viscum Album Leaf Extract, Succinic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, C12-13 Alkyl Glyceryl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Copper Tripeptide-1, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Lactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide, Silica
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
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 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