What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSea Water
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningPearl Extract
Antioxidant
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningCodium Fragile Extract
Skin ConditioningEnteromorpha Compressa Extract
Skin ProtectingLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Salicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethyl Hexanediol
SolventParfum
Masking
Water, 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
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventPropanediol
Solvent
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Propanediol, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Allantoin, Caffeine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate
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.
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 synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
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 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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
