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 ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantSalicylic Acid
Masking
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Ethoxydiglycol, Salicylic Acid, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sclerotium Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium 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
