What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningAspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Alanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Threonine
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningSodium
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Histidine
Humectant
Methionine
Skin ConditioningCysteine
Antioxidant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-29
Antioxidant
Oligopeptide-32
Antiseborrhoeic
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-22
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Beta-Glucan, Glycine, Tocopherol, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Pentylene Glycol, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Proline, Valine, Isoleucine, Sodium, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Histidine, Methionine, Cysteine, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Phosphatidylcholine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-29, Oligopeptide-32, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-22, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventVanilla Planifolia Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningSecale Cereale Seed Extract
Abrasive
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract
RefreshingVanilla Planifolia Leaf Cell Extract
Antioxidant
Vanilla Planifolia Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlutamylamidoethyl Imidazole
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum
Emulsion Stabilising
Alcaligenes Polysaccharides
EmollientTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Amodimethicone
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Methylpropanediol, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Water, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Leaf Cell Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Flower Extract, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Parfum, Sodium Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Alcaligenes Polysaccharides, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Amodimethicone, Adenosine, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Caramel
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AdenosineMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
