What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBetaine
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water
MaskingHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicZinc PCA
HumectantSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion StabilisingCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialGlycolic Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
HumectantBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningC12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingGelatin
Tromethamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAgar
MaskingCyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingTetrasodium Iminodisuccinate
Biosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingUbiquinone
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingXanthophylls
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Betaine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Zinc PCA, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Mandelic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Tocopherol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, C12-14 Pareth-12, Gelatin, Tromethamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Trehalose, Pentylene Glycol, Agar, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Acacia Senegal Gum, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Cellulose Gum, Carbomer, Ubiquinone, Xanthan Gum, Xanthophylls, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAhnfeltia Concinna Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citric Acid
BufferingIsoceteth-20
EmulsifyingEthoxydiglycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Glycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Isoceteth-20, Ethoxydiglycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
Alternatives
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
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 HyaluronateSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.
A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.
A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.
More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerWater. 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