What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingMentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingParfum
Masking
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Malachite Extract
Antioxidant
Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Betaine, Behenyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Jojoba Esters, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Arachidyl Glucoside, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Malachite Extract, Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment, Tocopherol, Glucose, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDicetearyl Succinate
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTrehalose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Kernel Extract
Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Milt Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract
Skin ProtectingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningFructan
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Water, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Dicetearyl Succinate, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Trehalose, Glycerin, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Hydrolyzed Milt Extract, Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cyanocobalamin, Fructan, Glucose
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
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 GlycolCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 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 PropanediolTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
