What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingAlgin
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent
Saccharomyces Lysate Extract
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Creatine
Skin ConditioningErgothioneine
Antioxidant
Adenosine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Juice
MaskingAcetyl Carnitine Hcl
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
PEG-8
HumectantPPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrehalose
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingTrisodium Hedta
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caffeine, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Lactobacillus Ferment, Creatine, Ergothioneine, Adenosine Phosphate, Punica Granatum Fruit Juice, Acetyl Carnitine Hcl, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, PEG-8, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Trehalose, Hexylene Glycol, Yeast Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyquaternium-51, Butylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Trisodium Hedta, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolGlycerin (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.
Propanediol 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 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
