What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isododecane
EmollientJojoba Esters
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Polysilicone-11
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingDisodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolygonum Bistorta Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Aroma
Polyglucuronic Acid
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Carrageenan
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Maris Sal
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Coconut Alkanes, Phenoxyethanol, Isododecane, Jojoba Esters, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Benzoate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Polygonum Bistorta Root Extract, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Aroma, Polyglucuronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Carrageenan, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Cholesterol, Lecithin, Maris Sal, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Pullulan
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamide
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Hyaluronic Acid, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76, Algae Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Pullulan, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Carbomer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Polyacrylamide, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
