What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Poloxamer 338
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Citric Acid, Copper Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Zinc Gluconate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Caprylyl Glycol, Poloxamer 338, Xanthan Gum, Dimethiconol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingSqualane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
PPG-17-Buteth-17
Skin ConditioningTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides Citrate
EmollientAphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide
AbsorbentAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Pentylene Glycol, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, Triethylhexanoin, Squalane, Dimethicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, PPG-17-Buteth-17, Triethyl Citrate, Behenyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides Citrate, Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide, Alcohol Denat., Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Phospholipids, Potassium Sorbate, Sphingolipids, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 HyaluronateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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
