What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Trehalose, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Beta-Glucan, Soluble Collagen, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Panthenol, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Morus Alba Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentDisodium EDTA
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Citric Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is a botanical extract pulled from the leaves of aloe vera and one of the most studied plant ingredients in cosmetics.
The inner leaf gel it comes from is mostly water (~99-99.5%) and the remaining fraction is made up of pretty good stuff: polysaccharides, vitamins, phenolics, and enzymes.
Its headline job is hydration.
The star polysaccharide in aloe, acemannan, is a humectant that retains moisture and helps reduce trans-epidermal water loss.
Aloe also has real soothing credentials; it contains anti-inflammatory compounds like bradykinase and C-glucosyl chromone that help calm irritation and redness.
On the repair side, lab work shows that acemannan wakes up your skin's repair cells (fibroblasts), prompting them to multiply and speed up healing.
There's some human data for cosmetic benefit too: a cream containing 10% Aloe Barbadensis leaf extract improved skin hydration and elasticity in a real-use study.
Safety-wise, this ingredient is well-regarded with just one rare downside; there have been some case reports of acute eczema, contact urticaria, and dermatitis in people who applied aloe-derived ingredients topically. Those with a known aloe or Liliaceae sensitivity should patch test.
Typical use levels range widely, from under 1% up to 90%+ depending on the format and the effect you are after.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractButylene 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolThis extract comes from Purslane, a succulent. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hydrating properties.
Purslane is very nutritious. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, NMFs, many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The vitamins found in purslane include: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E.
Fun fact: Purslane is a succulent with an extensive habitat. It is used in traditional Korean medicine to treat irritated skin.
Nowadays, purslane is becoming a superfood due to its highly nutritious content.
Learn more about Portulaca Oleracea ExtractSodium 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
