What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Tocophersolan
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientSodium Phytate
Lecithin
Emollient
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingVegetable Oil
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Ethoxydiglycol, Ferulic Acid, Tocophersolan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ubiquinone, Glycerin, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sodium Phytate, Lecithin, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Tocopherol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Vegetable Oil, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningInositol
Humectant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicThiamine Hcl
MaskingRiboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Panthenol, Ferulic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Gluconate, Glycerin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hcl, Inositol, Biotin, Thiamine Hcl, Riboflavin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidEthoxydiglycol is a synthetic solvent.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Ethoxydiglycol also helps deliver other key ingredients into the skin.
Learn more about EthoxydiglycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinFerulic Acid is a plant based antioxidant that can be naturally found in the cell walls of grains like rice, oats, and corn. It has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and has the ability to boost the performance of other antioxidants as well.
A well-known study found that adding Ferulic Acid to a solution of Vitamins C and E doubled the photoprotection of skin. This is why you'll often see it paired with Vitamin C or Vitamin E serums rather than sold on its own.
A 2025 review of 18 human studies found that using Ferulic Acid (0.5-1%) daily for one to three months showed improvements in:
As far as allergies go, Ferulic acid is generally well-tolerated but can cause an allergic reaction in very rare cases. It's also worth noting that Ferulic acid is often extracted from plant sources like rice bran or wheat bran, so be sure to path test if you have known grain allergies.
Outside of skincare, researchers are also looking into Ferulic Acid for its potential benefits in areas like diabetes, Alzheimer's, and heart health.
Learn more about Ferulic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePhenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol 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 PropanediolSodium 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
