What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Isostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Cocoate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylcellulose
Propanediol
Solvent
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Methylpropanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Betaine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium PCA, Squalane, Isostearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Ethylcellulose, Propanediol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Α-Olefin Oligomer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Lactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate
C12-13 Alkyl Glyceryl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate
Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide
AbsorbentButylene Glycol
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Α-Olefin Oligomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethylhexanoin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Lactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate, C12-13 Alkyl Glyceryl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide, Butylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Arginine, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Cetyl Phosphate, Propanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
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 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 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 AcidPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol 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 HyaluronateSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.
A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.
A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.
More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerWater. 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
