What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBetaine
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingPCA
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingCholesterol
EmollientCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Histidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Stearate, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Betaine, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Ceramide NP, Glycine, Alanine, Cholesterol, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Serine, Valine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventBetaine
HumectantPolyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
EmulsifyingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientMagnesium Sulfate
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingOleic Acid
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingPolyglycerin-3
Humectant
Reviews
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 BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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