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
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantHydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantAcrylic Acid
Laureth-23
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dextran
Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Ornithine
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Flour
Skin ConditioningDimer Tripeptide-43
Sorbitol
Humectant
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Hydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Acrylic Acid, Laureth-23, Dimethicone, Dextran, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Propanediol, Ornithine, Phospholipids, Glycolipids, Hydrolyzed Soy Flour, Dimer Tripeptide-43, Sorbitol, Yeast Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, CI 15985, CI 17200
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 Oligopeptide is a form of peptide. It is created by blending peptides with palmitic acid. Peptides are building blocks for protein.
This ingredients tells our body to create more collagen. Collagen is a protein that makes connective tissue. Boosting collagen production leads to a healthier skin barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier means having firm and hydrated skin.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Learn more about Palmitoyl OligopeptidePalmitoyl 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Propanediol 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
