What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Trehalose
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingDesamido Collagen
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Propionyl Collagen Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Collagen Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Trehalose, Polysorbate 60, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Soluble Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid, Disodium Phosphate, Desamido Collagen, Sodium Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Propionyl Collagen Amino Acids, Collagen Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingOryza Sativa Lees Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Prunus Lannesiana Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xylitylglucoside, Betaine, Anhydroxylitol, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xylitol, Zinc PCA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Hydroxide, Oryza Sativa Lees Extract, Tocopherol, Prunus Lannesiana Flower Extract
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 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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidSodium 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
