What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCellulose
Absorbent
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantBetaine
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Inula Britannica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Jasminum Officinale Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Water, Cellulose, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Ceramide NP, Zea Mays Starch, Gluconolactone, Inula Britannica Flower Extract, Nelumbium Speciosum 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 Florida Fruit Extract, Sodium Carbomer, Maltodextrin, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water
MaskingBetaine Salicylate
Antimicrobial
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Betaine, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Betaine Salicylate, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Arginine, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Limonene
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.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
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 BetaineButylene 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 GlycolDipropylene 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LauratePolyglyceryl-10 Myristate is a nonionic emulsifier and skin conditioner made from Polyglycerin-10 and Myristic Acid.
As a skin conditioning agent, this ingredient leaves skin feeling soft without a greasy finish. As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions.
You'll likely see this ingredient in "clean" formulations because it's considered a natural alternative to PEGs.
Patch testing at concentration 0.1-1% showed no reactions and this ingredient is considered to be well-tolerated across skin types.
Due to its myristic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 MyristateSodium 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
