What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBetula Alba Bark/Leaf Extract
AstringentPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingSericin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Betula Alba Bark/Leaf Extract, Propylene Glycol, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Triethanolamine, Sericin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Carbomer, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Polysorbate 80, Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Snail Secretion Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hexylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateGlycerin (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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
