What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCitrus Junos Fruit Water
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingArtemisia Annua Extract
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Water, Citrus Junos Fruit Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Betaine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Artemisia Annua Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Glycereth-26, Pentylene Glycol, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Tromethamine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Ascorbic Acid, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Learn more about Glyceryl CaprylateHyaluronic 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 AcidPentylene 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 GlycolPropanediol 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 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
