What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Nylon-12
Carbomer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pistacia Lentiscus Gum
MaskingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingSodium Carbonate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Nylon-12, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Trimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pistacia Lentiscus Gum, Phenethyl Alcohol, Sodium Carbonate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate
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
Carbomer 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 CarbomerDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 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
