What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSaccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Diphenyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Pentylene Glycol, Panthenol, Cellulose Gum, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Adenosine, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid
Hippophae Rhamnoides Water
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Glutathione
Stellaria Media Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Tuber Magnatum Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Hippophae Rhamnoides Water, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Allantoin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Glutathione, Stellaria Media Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Tuber Magnatum Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract
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
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineAllantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinButylene 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 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 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 Water
