What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventGlucuronolactone
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-3
HumectantSodium PCA
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Propanediol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glucuronolactone, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Bisabolol, Polysorbate 20, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-3, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Madecassoside, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Allantoin, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Gluconolactone, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Benzoate, Sclerotium Gum, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Acacia Seyal Gum Extract
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glucose
Humectant
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Beta-Glucan, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Glycerin, Acacia Seyal Gum Extract, Gluconolactone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Propylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glucose, Calcium Gluconate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Chondrus Crispus Extract comes from a red algae native to the northern Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America. It helps hydrate the skin and is rich in antioxidants.
The antioxidants in chondrus crispus include lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein has the ability to filter blue light from screens.
Other contents of chondrus crispus include polysaccharides, peptides, and amino acids. These help hydrate the skin.
What's the difference between algae and seaweed?
Algae is a broad term that includes seaweed. Not all algae is seaweed.
Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbatePropanediol 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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium 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
