What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingMagnesium Sulfate
Zinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Malpighia Punicifolia Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sargassum Fulvellum Extract
Skin ConditioningGelidium Cartilagineum Extract
Skin ProtectingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Chlorella Minutissima Extract
Skin ConditioningMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Enteromorpha Compressa Extract
Skin ProtectingLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Cyclomethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Malpighia Punicifolia Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sargassum Fulvellum Extract, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Chlorella Minutissima Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Propanediol, Glycereth-26, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Caffeine, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglycerin-3
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Mentha Arvensis Extract
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Cymbopogon Citratus Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Erythritol
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Polyglycerin-3, Tromethamine, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Mentha Arvensis Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cymbopogon Citratus Extract, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Erythritol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is a botanical extract pulled from the leaves of aloe vera and one of the most studied plant ingredients in cosmetics.
The inner leaf gel it comes from is mostly water (~99-99.5%) and the remaining fraction is made up of pretty good stuff: polysaccharides, vitamins, phenolics, and enzymes.
Its headline job is hydration.
The star polysaccharide in aloe, acemannan, is a humectant that retains moisture and helps reduce trans-epidermal water loss.
Aloe also has real soothing credentials; it contains anti-inflammatory compounds like bradykinase and C-glucosyl chromone that help calm irritation and redness.
On the repair side, lab work shows that acemannan wakes up your skin's repair cells (fibroblasts), prompting them to multiply and speed up healing.
There's some human data for cosmetic benefit too: a cream containing 10% Aloe Barbadensis leaf extract improved skin hydration and elasticity in a real-use study.
Safety-wise, this ingredient is well-regarded with just one rare downside; there have been some case reports of acute eczema, contact urticaria, and dermatitis in people who applied aloe-derived ingredients topically. Those with a known aloe or Liliaceae sensitivity should patch test.
Typical use levels range widely, from under 1% up to 90%+ depending on the format and the effect you are after.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 Water
