What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Triclosan
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialOctanediol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTropolone
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, Beta-Glucan, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Triclosan, Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Allantoin, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Octanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tropolone, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Water, Diglycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Beta-Glucan is a polysaccharide. It can be derived from the cell walls of seaweed, oats, yeast, and fungi. It hydrates the skin and helps boost your skin's natural barrier.
As an antioxidant, beta-glucan helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Studies show this ingredient may be an effective wrinkle reducer as it can deeply penetrate into skin. It has also been show to help with wound healing.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanButylene 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
