What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventOriganum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglycerin-3
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract
PerfumingSea Water
HumectantCalcium Lactate
AstringentGellan Gum
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Dna
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantGlycine
BufferingSerine
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSorbitan Laurate
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientAspartic Acid
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingLysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingTyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningValine
MaskingThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningHistidine
HumectantMethionine
Skin ConditioningCysteine
AntioxidantElastin
Skin ConditioningCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientSoluble Elastin
Skin ConditioningPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantAcetyl Octapeptide-3
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Polyglycerin-3, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract, Sea Water, Calcium Lactate, Gellan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Dna, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherol, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Laurate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Valine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Histidine, Methionine, Cysteine, Elastin, Collagen Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Soluble Elastin, Polyglutamic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingGlycine
BufferingPCA
HumectantUrea
BufferingAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantHistidine
HumectantLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningGlutamine
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningTyrosine
MaskingArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingPhenylalanine
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium PCA
HumectantCalcium PCA
HumectantMagnesium PCA
HumectantBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Nitrate
SoothingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Serine, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Glycine, PCA, Urea, Acetyl Glucosamine, Glucose, Histidine, Lysine Hcl, Glutamine, Leucine, Tyrosine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Phenylalanine, Sodium Chloride, Potassium PCA, Calcium PCA, Magnesium PCA, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Maltodextrin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Nitrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Gluconate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate
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
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineAspartic Acid is an amino acid that our bodies produce naturally. It is an antioxidant.
Our body uses Aspartic Acid to help build collagen and elastin. It also plays a role in hydrating skin.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlycerinGlycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.
Histidine is a semi-essential amino acid used by our bodies to create protein. It has humectant and skin conditioning properties.
Our bodies use histidine to create filaggrin - filaggrin is a structural protein that the skin uses in maintaining skin barrier.
One study found histidine and carnosine to be a dynamic duo for your skin:
Oral histidine has also been found to help with filaggrin-deficit skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis.
Why is it considered a semi-essential amino acid? This is because adults are able to create it but children must get it from their diet.
Learn more about HistidineHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseWe don't have a description for Leucine yet.
Phenylalanine is an amino acid. It is a skin soothing and hydrating ingredient. Amino acids play a crucial role in wound healing and skin hydration.
This ingredient is also used to help even out skin tone due to its ability to disrupt the melanin production process.
Two structures of phenylalanine exist: L-phenylalanine and D-phenylalanine. L-phenylalanine is essential, this means our bodies cannot produce it naturally and we must get it from foods. Our bodies convert D-phenylalanine to neurotransmitters, and D-phenylalanine is found in our bodies naturally.
Some foods that contain L-phenylalanine include eggs, soybeans, beef, milk.
Learn more about PhenylalanineSerine is a non-essential amino acid (your body makes it on its own!). It is a major player in your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Serine is one of your NMF's most abundant components that works as a skin-identical humectant. Its hydroxyl group grabs onto water molecules to boost hydration without any heaviness or occlusion.
Research on a hydrogel with serine confirmed this serine got delivered to your stratum corneum and demonstrated enhanced skin moisturization.
Interestingly serine also helps your skin produce filaggrin, a protein that keeps your skin barrier strong and used to create collagen.
Learn more about SerineTyrosine is one of the amino acids used to create protein. It plays a role in melanin production.
A study from 2012 found tyrosine to show promising results in restoring skin volume.
Water. 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