What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Yeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Taurine
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Glycine Soja Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Resin Extract
Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAgave Tequilana Leaf Extract
AstringentRetinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Maltose
MaskingLecithin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
BHT
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingBHA
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Betaine, Glycine Soja Extract, Prunus Persica Resin Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract, Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopherol, Maltose, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Polyacrylate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sorbitan Caprylate, Polysorbate 20, Glycine Soja Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, BHT, Citric Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, BHA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Carrageenan
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ceratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glucomannan
Skin ConditioningCalcium Chloride
AstringentChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Chondrus Crispus
Masking
Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingChondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Chloride
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose
Humectant
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract
TonicAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Tangerina Extract
TonicMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Calcium Lactate
AstringentArbutin
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Carrageenan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glucomannan, Calcium Chloride, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Propanediol, Chondrus Crispus, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Potassium Chloride, Pentylene Glycol, Sucrose, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Tangerina Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Calcium Lactate, Arbutin, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Potassium Hydroxide, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Limonene, Linalool
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
Butylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSodium 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
