What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Octyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingStyrene/Vp Copolymer
Propanediol
Solvent
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Diethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Rice Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningNatto Gum
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Octyldodeceth-16, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Propanediol, Phospholipids, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Citrate, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Citric Acid, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Saccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment, Lactobacillus, Ceramide NP, Pentylene Glycol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Natto Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Cirsium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Erica Cinerea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Persica Leaf Extract
Emollient
Pimpinella Anisum Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-4-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Urea, Ceramide Ng, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Cirsium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Erica Cinerea Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Prunus Persica Leaf Extract, Pimpinella Anisum Fruit Water, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Citrate, Lactic Acid, Butylene Glycol, PPG-4-Ceteth-20, Alcohol Denat., Phenoxyethanol
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 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 AcidPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateSodium 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
