What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract
Skin ProtectingParfum
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-28
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Aminobutyric Acid
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-19
Skin Conditioning
N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Apium Graveolens Callus Extract
Antioxidant
Anigozanthos Flavidus Extract
Skin ConditioningSteareth-20
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-28, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Aminobutyric Acid, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-19, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Inulin, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Apium Graveolens Callus Extract, Anigozanthos Flavidus Extract, Steareth-20, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlycerinPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium 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
