What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tetrapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Tetrapeptide-30
Skin Conditioning
Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Nonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Collagen Extract
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Methionine
Skin ConditioningCysteine
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Acmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cichorium Intybus Root Extract
MaskingHelianthus Tuberosus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Fomes Officinalis Extract
Skin ProtectingLentinus Edodes Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGellan Gum
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Eicosanedioate/Tetradecanedioate
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tetrapeptide-21, Tetrapeptide-30, Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Dipeptide-2, Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1, Collagen Extract, Serine, Methionine, Cysteine, Arginine, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Sodium PCA, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract, Helianthus Tuberosus Root Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Fomes Officinalis Extract, Lentinus Edodes Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Gellan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Adenosine, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Eicosanedioate/Tetradecanedioate, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Withania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHimanthalia Elongata Extract
Skin Protecting
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Fructose
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tromethamine
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Isododecane, Glycerin, Jojoba Esters, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Panthenol, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Himanthalia Elongata Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Fructose, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Coco-Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Tromethamine, Citric 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.
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 GlycolCaprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
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
