What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningSargassum Fulvellum Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Polyglycerin-3, Betaine, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Sargassum Fulvellum Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sucrose
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium PCA, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Betaine, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sucrose, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Lactate, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs 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 BetaineEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolTocopherol 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
