What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Alanine
Masking
Maltose
MaskingGlycine
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Lidocaine Hcl
Arginine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Fructose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingC10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Alanine, Maltose, Glycine, Allantoin, Lidocaine Hcl, Arginine, Serine, Proline, Threonine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Tropolone, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Trehalose, Betaine, Urea, Fructose, Glucose, PCA, Sodium PCA, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Nylon-12
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPPG-15 Stearyl Ether
EmollientC13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
BHT
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-2
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Nylon-12, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Polyacrylamide, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, C13-14 Isoparaffin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Laureth-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, BHT, Biosaccharide Gum-2, 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.
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
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 GlycolCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 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
