What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract
Skin ProtectingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Cetraria Islandica Extract
CleansingMyrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHimanthalia Elongata Extract
Skin Protecting
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Carbomer, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Tromethamine, Allantoin, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Cetraria Islandica Extract, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Himanthalia Elongata Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 BetaineButylene 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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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
