What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide 10%
Smoothing
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientSqualane 5%
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientRice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Caffeine 1%
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Vp/Polycarbamyl Polyglycol Ester
Hydrolyzed Sesame Protein Pg-Propyl Methylsilanediol
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Polyglyceryl-4 Olivate
EmollientCyclodextrin
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Niacinamide 10%, Oryza Sativa Extract, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Squalane 5%, Sorbitol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Rice Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Caffeine 1%, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Vp/Polycarbamyl Polyglycol Ester, Hydrolyzed Sesame Protein Pg-Propyl Methylsilanediol, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-4 Olivate, Cyclodextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycolic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Propanediol, Gluconolactone, Salicylic Acid, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Panthenol, Sodium Gluconate
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 GlycerinThis is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateSodium 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
