What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientDiglycerin
Humectant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Olivate
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Acrylates Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Diglycerin, Mica, Cyanocobalamin, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Adenosine, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Phytate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polysorbate 60, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Oleate, Tromethamine, Butylene Glycol, Tin Oxide, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid, Acrylates Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingSodium Oleoyl Sarcosinate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Oleate
CleansingSodium Sulfate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Water, Pentylene Glycol, Squalane, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sodium Oleoyl Sarcosinate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Oleate, Sodium Sulfate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, CI 42090
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 HyaluronateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
