What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientDisodium Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientTribehenin
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetyl Palmitate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cyclomethicone, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carnosine, Algae Extract, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Tribehenin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Behenate, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Sorbitan Isostearate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Isoceteth-20
EmulsifyingEthoxydiglycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, 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.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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
