What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sh-Barley Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-10, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sh-Barley Seed Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Xanthan Gum, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-75
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Glycereth-26, Dipropylene Glycol, PEG-75, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oryza Sativa Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Ceramide NP, Dimethicone, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Lecithin, Glycosphingolipids, Potassium Hydroxide, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene 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 GlycerinPeg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
As a solubilizer, it helps dissolve ingredients into a water-based version. It is also an emulsifer. Emulsifier help prevent oils and water from separating. Both these properties help create evenly-spread and uniform products.
Basically, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil helps hold ingredients together.
Learn more about PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol 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
