What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Squalane
Emollient
Erythritol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Achillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Limonene
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Squalane, Erythritol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Limonene, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene 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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidSodium 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
