What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauryl Glucoside, Acrylates Copolymer, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingQuillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate
CleansingProtease
Exfoliating
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Benzyl Glycol
SolventHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Lauryl Glucoside, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Coco-Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Protease, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Benzyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride
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 GlycolCaprylyl 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 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 GlycerinLauryl Glucoside sugar- and lipid-based cleansing agent. It is created from glucose and lauryl alcohol.
This ingredient is a surfactant, making it easier to rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants away.
A British study found lauryl glucoside to cause skin sensitivity for some people. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Other names for this ingredient include "Lauryl Polyglucose", "Lauryl glycoside", and "D-Glucopyranoside".
Learn more about Lauryl GlucosideLauryl Hydroxysultaine is a mild surfactant or cleansing ingredient that helps lift away dirt/oil, boost foam, and thicken the formula. It plays nicely with other surfactants and stays stable across a wide pH range.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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
