What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Cyclohexane
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Cyclohexane, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Crocus Sativus Flower Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantCarnosine
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Glucomannan
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycine
Buffering
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
PEG-8
HumectantPolyglucuronic Acid
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingStearyl Stearate
Emollient
Tetrasodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Trihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octocrylene, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Alcohol Denat., Arachidyl Alcohol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Behenyl Alcohol, Capryloyl Glycine, Caramel, Carnosine, Cera Alba, Cera Microcristallina, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Glucomannan, Glucose, Glyceryl Laurate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycine, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Lecithin, Parfum, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-8, Polyglucuronic Acid, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Proline, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Stearyl Stearate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Trihydroxystearin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is created by putting sodium hyaluronate through hydrolysis.
You might know this as 'mini' or 'ultra low-molecular weight' hyaluronic acid. The small molecule size means it is able to travel deeper in the skin.
According to studies, low molecular-weight hyaluronic acid can:
One study from 2011 found ultra-low weight HA to show pro-inflammatory properties. Another study from 2022 found it to downregulate UV-B induced inflammation.
Hydrolysis is a process of changing a molecule using water or enzymes.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Sodium HyaluronateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium 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
