What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Carbomer, Glycine Soja Protein, Caffeine, Isohexadecane, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Isohexadecane
EmollientZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-20 Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arginine PCA
HumectantSerine
Masking
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Alumina
Abrasive
Disodium EDTA
Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Toluene Sulfonic Acid
SurfactantPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBHT
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Panthenol, Silica, Isohexadecane, Zea Mays Starch, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Beeswax, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-20 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Tin Oxide, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sorbitan Oleate, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine PCA, Serine, Myristic Acid, Alumina, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract, Citric Acid, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Toluene Sulfonic Acid, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, BHT, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, Mica
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a synthetic polymer used to stabilize formulas and give products a "gel-cream" feel.
When applied, this ingredient mostly stays on the surface of skin. Safety reviews have found these polymers safe in cosmetics when made to proper quality standards. Testing also shows they’re unlikely to cause irritation or sensitization at normal use levels.
Disodium 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 AcidIsohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.
Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.
Learn more about IsohexadecanePolysorbate 80 is a synthetic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid.
It reduces the surface tension between oil and water phases to help them stay mixed and stable in a formulation. In other words, it prevents your formulas from separating into an oily mess.
The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the scientific data and found this ingredient to be safe, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing at concentrations up to 5% (it's even approved by the FDA as an OTC eye drop ingredient).
Learn more about Polysorbate 80Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium 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
