What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventLactic Acid
Buffering
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantMandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
Buffering3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Pullulan
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Methylpropanediol, Lactic Acid, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycolic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Mandelic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salicylic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Pullulan, Ethylhexylglycerin, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sclerotium Gum, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Lecithin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPalmitamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Quaternium-80
Parfum
Masking
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Crithmum Maritimum Extract
Skin ConditioningEryngium Maritimum Extract
TonicLeontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Carbomer, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Palmitamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Quaternium-80, Parfum, Behentrimonium Chloride, Linalool, Citronellol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Alcohol, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Eryngium Maritimum Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 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
