What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Eisenia Bicyclis Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Bixa Orellana Seed Extract
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Astaxanthin, Eisenia Bicyclis Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Phenylpropanol, Caprylyl Glycol, P-Anisic Acid, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSqualane
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Methylpropanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Phytate, Ascorbic Acid, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Squalane, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 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 HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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
