What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSerine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingThreonine
Arginine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantPCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingUrea
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingBetaine
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningFructose
HumectantMaltose
MaskingTrehalose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Glycine, Alanine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Lysine Hcl, Glutamic Acid, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Betaine, Allantoin, Fructose, Maltose, Trehalose, Glucose, Pentylene Glycol, Synthetic Beeswax, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf
PerfumingPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientDiphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientSericin
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Germ Oil
EmollientChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Serpyllum Extract
Skin ConditioningZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingAlcohol
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Propanediol, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Squalane, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Sericin, Oryza Sativa Germ Oil, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Thymus Serpyllum Extract, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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