What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantSqualane
EmollientHoney
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningSphingolipids
EmollientRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingArginine
MaskingFructooligosaccharides
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentAlcohol
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
HumectantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Squalane, Honey, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Arginine, Fructooligosaccharides, Allantoin, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Alcohol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hyaluronic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantChamaecyparis Obtusa Oil
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCandida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChrysanthemum Zawadskii Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingErythritol
HumectantSorbitol
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningC12-14 Alketh-12
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCellulose
AbsorbentPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid/Polyisopropylacrylamide Copolymer
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantDimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantPropanediol
SolventSodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Isostearate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientWater, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Xylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Chrysanthemum Zawadskii Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Betaine, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Erythritol, Sorbitol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Panthenol, C12-14 Alketh-12, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cellulose, Polyglutamic Acid, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid/Polyisopropylacrylamide Copolymer, Tocopherol, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Polyglyceryl-10 Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Ectoin, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ceramide Ns, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Cetearyl Alcohol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidSodium 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 Water