What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCellulose
AbsorbentDipropylene Glycol
HumectantBetaine
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPyrus Malus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningGold
Cosmetic ColorantNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGardenia Taitensis Callus Extract
AntioxidantSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentJasminum Officinale Oil
MaskingRose Flower Oil
MaskingWater, Cellulose, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pyrus Malus Flower Extract, Ceramide Ns, Zea Mays Starch, Gluconolactone, Gold, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Gardenia Taitensis Callus Extract, Sodium Carbomer, Maltodextrin, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Rose Flower Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCellulose
AbsorbentPropylene Glycol
HumectantQuaternium-60
Carbomer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPapain
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantC12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingCananga Odorata Flower Oil
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Limonene
PerfumingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Cellulose, Propylene Glycol, Quaternium-60, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Papain, Maltodextrin, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Gluconolactone, Glucose, Sodium Metabisulfite, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Disodium EDTA, Limonene
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCellulose is the main component of plant cell walls. It is used as an emulsifier, absorbent, and texture enhancer.
This ingredient has many functions:
Fun fact: Cellulose is the most abundant form of organic polymer on Earth.
Learn more about CelluloseDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneHydrolyzed 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 AcidMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.
Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:
Learn more about Sodium Acetylated HyaluronateSodium 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 Water