What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Anogeissus Leiocarpus Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Vegetable Oil
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anogeissus Leiocarpus Bark Extract, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Vegetable Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Lauryl Glucoside, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glyceryl Oleate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Benzoate
Camellia Japonica Flower Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Faex
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Oil
Masking
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientParfum
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Flower Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Water, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Faex, Coffea Arabica Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Parfum, Chlorphenesin, Citric Acid, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Adenosine, Lactic Acid, Saccharide Isomerate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric 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 GlycerinPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
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
