This hydrating serum is formulated around Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin and soften the look of wrinkles.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantLecithin
EmollientMaltodextrin
AbsorbentSodium Benzoate
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningLens Esculenta Seed Extract
Skin ProtectingParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
BufferingSodium Salicylate
PreservativeSalicylic Acid
MaskingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningWater, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Glycereth-26, Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Sodium Benzoate, Pentylene Glycol, Lens Esculenta Seed Extract, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Salicylate, Salicylic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingCellulose
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2
AbsorbentDimethicone
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
MaskingTrehalose
HumectantUrea
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingVigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantSerine
MaskingAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningAlgin
MaskingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Pullulan
Ascorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantPotassium Phosphate
BufferingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Cellulose, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Trehalose, Urea, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Parfum, Vigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Serine, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Algin, Disodium Phosphate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Pullulan, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Potassium Phosphate, 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.
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
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 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 AcidDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidMaltodextrin is a plant-derived carbohydrate made by breaking down starch (usually from corn, potato, or rice). In cosmetic formulas, it's a multitasking absorbent, emulsion stabilizer, and skin conditioner.
This ingredient is mostly used to stabilize emulsions and improve the powdery, non-greasy feel of products (like dry shampoos).
Safety-wise, this ingredient is pretty solid; it's even recognized as a food additive. Both animal and clinical studies found no adverse effects at the levels used in cosmetics.
Industry data shows this ingredient is used up to 45.7% in spray products and up to 33% in powder products.
Learn more about MaltodextrinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol 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