What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Vinyldimethicone
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMethylpropanediol
SolventFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycereth-26, Glyceryl Stearate, Betaine, Behenyl Alcohol, Vinyldimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Methylpropanediol, Fructooligosaccharides, Disodium EDTA, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Betaine
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
PCA
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Histidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Stearate, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Betaine, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Ceramide NP, Glycine, Alanine, Cholesterol, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Serine, Valine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Ceramide EOP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateSodium 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
