What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSea Water
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientHydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningPearl Extract
AntioxidantUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningCodium Fragile Extract
Skin ConditioningEnteromorpha Compressa Extract
Skin ProtectingLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingSalicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthyl Hexanediol
SolventParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Sea Water, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein, Pearl Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Codium Fragile Extract, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethyl Hexanediol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPiper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingArginine
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantHoney Extract
HumectantDextrin
AbsorbentHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Panthenol, Trehalose, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Arginine, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Honey Extract, Dextrin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hexapeptide-9, Parfum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol
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.
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 preservatives
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 AcidParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium 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