What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Isostearate
Emollient
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Glyceryl Isostearate, Madecassoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Propylene Glycol, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Arginine, Panthenol, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglutamic Acid, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Betaine, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Lactic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCaprylyl 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 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 AcidPanthenol 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 PanthenolPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
