What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Alpinia Officinarum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Emollient
Phragmites Communis Extract
Skin ConditioningPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Methoxy PEG-114/Polyepsilon Caprolactone
BufferingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Behenate
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCholesterol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Poloxamer 407
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Alcohol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Alpinia Officinarum Root Extract, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Phragmites Communis Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Tocopherol, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Alanine, Arginine, Dimethicone, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Methoxy PEG-114/Polyepsilon Caprolactone, Myristic Acid, Behenic Acid, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Squalane, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Behenate, Adenosine, Arachidic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Cholesterol, Palmitic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Poloxamer 407, Polysorbate 20, PEG-14m, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Sorbus Commixta Extract
Skin ConditioningJuniperus Chinensis Xylem Extract
Skin ConditioningBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialBetaine
Humectant
Grifola Frondosa/Ophioglossum Vulgatum Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Hydrolyzed Rice Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sea Water
HumectantCarthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Extensin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAronia Arbutifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEchium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Manilkara Multinervis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Cassia Alata Leaf Extract
AstringentLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Yeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-10 Citrulline
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Arabica Stem Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Glyceryl Linolenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Glyceryl Arachidonate
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Ethyl Hexanediol
SolventDimethicone
Emollient
PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone
Emulsifying
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclomethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Dextrin
AbsorbentLauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ceteth-24
CleansingCholeth-24
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyltrimonium Maltodextrin Crosspolymer
SurfactantCetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol
Cleansing
BHT
Antioxidant
Ceteth-3
EmulsifyingCeteth-5
EmulsifyingSilica
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycereth-26, Sorbus Commixta Extract, Juniperus Chinensis Xylem Extract, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Betaine, Grifola Frondosa/Ophioglossum Vulgatum Extract Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, Sea Water, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Adenosine, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Aronia Arbutifolia Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Manilkara Multinervis Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract, Yeast Ferment Extract, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Beta-Sitosterol, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Ubiquinone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Retinol, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Biotin, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Tripeptide-10 Citrulline, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Acacia Arabica Stem Bark Extract, Cholesterol, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Arachidonate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethyl Hexanediol, Dimethicone, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Triethanolamine, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Octyldodecanol, Xanthan Gum, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclomethicone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Dextrin, Lauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Dimethiconol, Propylene Glycol, Ceteth-24, Choleth-24, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Maltodextrin Crosspolymer, Cetyl Phosphate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lecithin, PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol, BHT, Ceteth-3, Ceteth-5, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene 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 GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerCholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolDimethicone 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium 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
