What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Algae Extract
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Threonine
Sorbitol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlyceryl Polyacrylate
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
PEG-12
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Triethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
CI 60725
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Betaine, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Algae Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium PCA, Proline, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Threonine, Sorbitol, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Polyacrylamide, PEG-12, Carbomer, Laureth-7, Disodium EDTA, Benzophenone-4, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, DMDM Hydantoin, CI 60725, CI 16035
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Polymethylsilsesquioxane/Silica Crosspolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientSalicylic Acid
Masking
Urea
Buffering
Yeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Taurine
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Polysilicone-11
Polydextrose
HumectantDextrin
AbsorbentEthylhexyl Hydroxystearate
Emollient
Pullulan
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAmylopectin
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Disodium EDTA
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Algin
Masking
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingSilica
Abrasive
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Propanediol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane/Silica Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Tapioca Starch, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Salicylic Acid, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Polyisobutene, Polysilicone-11, Polydextrose, Dextrin, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Pullulan, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Amylopectin, Niacinamide, Disodium EDTA, Pentylene Glycol, Serine, Butylene Glycol, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Algin, Disodium Phosphate, Silica, Dipropylene Glycol, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Potassium Phosphate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Parfum, CI 42090, CI 17200
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 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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Glyceryl Polyacrylate yet.
Serine is a non-essential amino acid (your body makes it on its own!). It is a major player in your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Serine is one of your NMF's most abundant components that works as a skin-identical humectant. Its hydroxyl group grabs onto water molecules to boost hydration without any heaviness or occlusion.
Research on a hydrogel with serine confirmed this serine got delivered to your stratum corneum and demonstrated enhanced skin moisturization.
Interestingly serine also helps your skin produce filaggrin, a protein that keeps your skin barrier strong and used to create collagen.
Learn more about SerineWater. 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
