What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate
CleansingBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Mannitol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Isopropyl Palmitate, Triethylhexanoin, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Stearic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Oleic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Beeswax, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Mannitol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Potassium Benzoate
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolyquaternium-67
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Saccharide Hydrolysate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Pullulan
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sea Water
HumectantSodium Acetate
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lysine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Threonine
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Potassium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Polyquaternium-67, Potassium Cocoate, Citric Acid, Fructooligosaccharides, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Disodium EDTA, Pullulan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Panthenol, Sea Water, Sodium Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Beta-Glucan, Phosphatidylcholine, Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide NP, Glycine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lysine, Alanine, Arginine, Threonine, 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
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 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 EthylhexylglycerinHyaluronic 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 AcidHydrolyzed 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
