What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientBetaine
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCopper Gluconate
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Sulfate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Panthenol, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Copper Gluconate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Pentylene Glycol, Magnesium Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientOctyldodecyl Myristate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientXylitol
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate
EmulsifyingBetaine
HumectantBisabolol
AntioxidantAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasiveT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingMethyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Xylitol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate, Betaine, Bisabolol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Arachidyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Silica, T-Butyl Alcohol, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
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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 BetaineEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium 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 WaterXylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.
In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.
The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.
As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.
Learn more about Xylitol