What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingArbutin
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialLinalool
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantEchinacea Angustifolia Extract
MoisturisingSodium Ferrocyanide
Water, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Arbutin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Ascorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Linalool, Potassium Sorbate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Echinacea Angustifolia Extract, Sodium Ferrocyanide
Water
Skin ConditioningDipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Polyglutamate
HumectantSqualane
EmollientCollagen
MoisturisingLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingLens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningInulin
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingLactic Acid
BufferingSodium PCA
HumectantHydrogenated Poly(C6-20 Olefin)
AbrasiveHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningRhus Verniciflua Peel Wax
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Lactate
BufferingCarrageenan
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingHdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyglutamate, Squalane, Collagen, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Lactic Acid, Sodium PCA, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-20 Olefin), Hydroxyacetophenone, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Carrageenan, Pentylene Glycol, Maltodextrin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate is a natural preservative. It comes from fermenting radish roots with a bacteria called leuconostoc. The trade name for this ingredient is Leucidal.
Leuconostoc comes from lactic acid.
This ingredient has antimicrobial properties and helps prevent the growth of bacteria in a product.
Leuconostoc is used to make the traditional Korean side-dish, kimchi. It is also used to make sourdough bread (both incredibly yummy foods).
Learn more about Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment FiltratePotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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