What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid 23%
AntioxidantPropanediol
SolventBetaine
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyglycerin-3
HumectantTromethamine
Buffering3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentTocopherol
AntioxidantWater
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMethylpropanediol
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingBetaine
HumectantCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentMalpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantSodium Riboflavin Phosphate
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantMenadione
MaskingGlutathione
Zea Mays Starch
AbsorbentMannitol
HumectantSucrose
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Glycol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRaspberry Ketone
MaskingDisodium EDTA
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingCitral
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Betaine, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Malpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Xylitol, Allantoin, Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium Riboflavin Phosphate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Menadione, Glutathione, Zea Mays Starch, Mannitol, Sucrose, Adenosine, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Isohexadecane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Oleate, Polysorbate 80, Xanthan Gum, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Raspberry Ketone, Disodium EDTA, CI 77891, CI 77492, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citral, Limonene
Reviews
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineAscorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:
Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.
One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.
While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.
The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.
Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.
Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s 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 BetaineDisodium 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 EthylhexylglycerinPanthenol 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 PanthenolWater. 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