What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventDisodium EDTA
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMannitol
HumectantAcrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
AntioxidantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantAcetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Mannitol, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide NP, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCoco-Caprylate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCaprae Lac
Skin ConditioningColostrum
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLactose
HumectantMilk Protein
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Capillaris Extract
Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSqualane
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingEryngium Alpinum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingHoney Extract
HumectantHippophae Rhamnoides Oil
EmollientSymphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantHydrocinnamyl Cinnamate
PerfumingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventTocopherol
AntioxidantWhey Protein
Skin ConditioningC10-18 Triglycerides
EmollientLecithin
EmollientWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprae Lac, Colostrum, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactose, Milk Protein, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Eryngium Alpinum Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Honey Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Hydrocinnamyl Cinnamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Tocopherol, Whey Protein, C10-18 Triglycerides, Lecithin
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Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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