What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantArginine
Masking
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Morus Alba Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Reticulata Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingSasa Quelpaertensis Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Callus Culture Extract
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Alanine/Histidine/Lysine Polypeptide Copper Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Niacinamide, Dipropylene Glycol, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, CI 19140, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Polyglutamic Acid, CI 15985, Arginine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Carbomer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Nut Extract, Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extract, Sasa Quelpaertensis Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Callus Culture Extract, Allantoin, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Ascorbic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Alanine/Histidine/Lysine Polypeptide Copper Hcl, Ceramide NP
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
C12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Borago Officinalis Extract
Emollient
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Chamomilla Recutita Flower/Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHyacinthus Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower Water
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Salvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
Emollient
Benzyl Glycol
SolventAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Cucurbita Pepo Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Xylitol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, C12-14 Pareth-12, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Tromethamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Disodium EDTA, Borago Officinalis Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower/Leaf Extract, Hyacinthus Orientalis Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water, Propanediol, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Madecassoside, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Tocopherol, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Benzyl Glycol, Asiaticoside, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Cucurbita Pepo Fruit Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidWe don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans yet.
Hydrolyzed 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 HyaluronateSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.
A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.
A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.
More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
