What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientAlthaea Rosea Root Extract
HumectantBetula Alba Juice
AstringentPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentWater, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, Sodium PCA, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Althaea Rosea Root Extract, Betula Alba Juice, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Beta-Glucan, Betaine, Panthenol, Cellulose Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientLactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantAphanothece Sacrum Exopolysaccharides
AbsorbentAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientCetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingArginine
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Triethylhexanoin, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Lactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Aphanothece Sacrum Exopolysaccharides, Allantoin, Palmitic Acid, Cetyl Phosphate, Arginine, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol
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 AcidThis ingredient is created by putting sodium hyaluronate through hydrolysis.
You might know this as 'mini' or 'ultra low-molecular weight' hyaluronic acid. The small molecule size means it is able to travel deeper in the skin.
According to studies, low molecular-weight hyaluronic acid can:
One study from 2011 found ultra-low weight HA to show pro-inflammatory properties. Another study from 2022 found it to downregulate UV-B induced inflammation.
Hydrolysis is a process of changing a molecule using water or enzymes.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Sodium HyaluronatePentylene 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 GlycolSodium 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