What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Polyacrylamide
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Avena Sativa Peptide
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethiconol, Polysorbate 20, Laureth-4, Laureth-7, Disodium EDTA, Polyacrylamide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol, Avena Sativa Peptide
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Aminoethylphosphinic Acid
Skin ConditioningDecarboxy Carnosine Hcl
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract
Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Cetearyl Olivate
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantAnisaldehyde
Masking
Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Masking
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Dimethicone, Isododecane, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetyl Alcohol, Santalum Album Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharide Isomerate, Aminoethylphosphinic Acid, Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract, Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Cetearyl Olivate, Caffeine, Dimethiconol, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Gluconate, CI 77891, Anisaldehyde, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Glycerin (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 antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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
