What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantBetaine
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingCholesterol
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningInulin
Skin ConditioningCellulose
AbsorbentFructose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion StabilisingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantParfum
MaskingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingTriethyl Citrate
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBehenic Acid
CleansingBenzyl Glycol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRaspberry Ketone
MaskingSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
CleansingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Sulfate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Persea Gratissima Oil, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Panthenol, Glycerin, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Trehalose, Phytosterols, Sorbitol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Inulin, Cellulose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Parfum, Sorbitan Oleate, Citric Acid, Triethyl Citrate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenic Acid, Benzyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Raspberry Ketone, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Amyl Cinnamal, CI 19140, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Unshiu Fruit Extract
AntioxidantCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantPorphyra Yezoensis Extract
Skin ConditioningUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningVinegar
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
CleansingMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
SmoothingBetaine
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Citrus Unshiu Fruit Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Porphyra Yezoensis Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Vinegar, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Niacinamide, Betaine, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
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. It’s 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 BetaineCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 AcidParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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