What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantMethylpropanediol
SolventDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventEthoxydiglycol
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
SmoothingTrehalose
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCollagen
MoisturisingHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientCynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSoluble Collagen
HumectantAllium Sativum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveBertholletia Excelsa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Seed Extract
HumectantSalmon Egg Extract
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantSpinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingWine Extract
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-10 Isostearate
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingGlucose
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPullulan
Glycerin
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Squalane
EmollientSoluble Proteoglycan
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientSodium Dna
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingWater, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Methylpropanediol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Ethoxydiglycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Niacinamide, Trehalose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Collagen, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Soluble Collagen, Allium Sativum Bulb Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract, Salmon Egg Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Wine Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Isostearate, Tromethamine, Glucose, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Adenosine, Sodium Phytate, Cyanocobalamin, Tocopherol, Pullulan, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Soluble Proteoglycan, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Sodium Dna, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingC10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantFructose
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingUrea
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingPCA
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningMaltose
MaskingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingAlanine
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingTrehalose
HumectantGlycine
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
HumectantLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingThreonine
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantProline
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Betaine, Dimethicone, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Fructose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, PCA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Maltose, Ceramide NP, Serine, Alanine, Sodium Chloride, Trehalose, Glycine, Allantoin, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Arginine, Threonine, Tropolone, Glucose, Proline
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
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinTrehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.
As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.
In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.
Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.
Learn more about TrehaloseWater. 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