What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentBetaine
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientErythritol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Octyldodecanol, Glycerin, Distarch Phosphate, Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Erythritol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Parfum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Malachite Extract
Antioxidant
Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment
Skin ConditioningUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Betaine, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Malachite Extract, Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol 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 PropanediolTocopherol 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
