What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Humulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Bidens Pilosa Extract
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Sebacate
SolventPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate/Caprate
Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Carbonate
BufferingPhytic Acid
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tricalcium Phosphate
Abrasive
Algin
Masking
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Betaine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Bidens Pilosa Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopherol, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Sebacate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate/Caprate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Propanediol, Sodium Carbonate, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Polyglutamic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Tricalcium Phosphate, Algin, Calcium Gluconate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phosphatidylserine
Emulsion StabilisingGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitol, Cocoglycerides, Squalane, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phosphatidylserine, Glycolipids, Phospholipids, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Ceramide EOP, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Carbomer, 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.
Carbomer 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 CarbomerCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSodium 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
