This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantIsohexadecane
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG-100 Stearate, Isohexadecane, Glyceryl Stearate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Linoleic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingTetradecane
PerfumingCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientSucrose Palmitate
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDilauryl Thiodipropionate
AntioxidantAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Tetradecane, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Benzyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Oleate, Sucrose Palmitate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSodium 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