What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sargassum Filipendula Extract
Skin ProtectingBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Gelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium PCA
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Saccharomyces Lysate Extract
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Histidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Sodium Carboxymethyl Betaglucan
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Farnesol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Sargassum Filipendula Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Panthenol, Sorbitol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Sodium PCA, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Aspartic Acid, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, PCA, Sodium Citrate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycine, Alanine, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Sodium Carboxymethyl Betaglucan, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Caprylate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLauric Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Polyquaternium-39
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Propanediol
Solvent
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Stearic Acid, Sucrose Cocoate, Inulin, Glycolipids, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Polyquaternium-39, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Propanediol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Benzoate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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
