What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Citrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Zea Mays Starch, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Magnesium Aspartate, Caprylyl Glycol, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Isohexadecane, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Dimethiconol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingC13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Isoamyl Cocoate
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Polyacrylamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Allantoin, Betaine, Isoamyl Laurate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Isoamyl Cocoate, Laureth-7
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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
