What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
SolventPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
EmulsifyingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Stearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientParfum
MaskingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantCollagen
MoisturisingHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantLauryl Alcohol
EmollientLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTripropylene Glycol
AntioxidantBenzyl Glycol
SolventHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Glyceryl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, Behenyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, C12-16 Alcohols, Adenosine, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Myristyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Collagen, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Lauryl Alcohol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tripropylene Glycol, Benzyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Oligopeptide-1
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningSphingolipids
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAhnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingP-Anisic Acid
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthoxydiglycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialWater, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Panthenol, Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, P-Anisic Acid, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.
A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.
A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.
More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerTocopherol 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