What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ceteth-20
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Calcium Phosphate
Abrasive
Trimagnesium Phosphate
Water, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Glycerin, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ceteth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Phosphate, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Calcium Phosphate, Trimagnesium Phosphate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Ceteth-20
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Phosphate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Ceteth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is used to mix water and oil, stabilize emulsions, and aid in cleansing.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Potassium Phosphate is the term for the salts of potassium and phosphate ions. Our bodies naturally create and use potassium phosphate.
In cosmetics, potassium phosphate is used to adjust the pH level of products. Our skin has a natural pH level. Maintaining this pH level is important for our skin barrier. If the skin barrier is disrupted, our skin can experience dehydration and irritation.
This ingredient is used in medicine to help treat low blood levels of phosphorus.
Learn more about Potassium PhosphateSodium 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
