What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sea Water 66.01%
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantBetaine
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Salicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSea Water 66.01%, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Betaine, Ectoin, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Adenosine, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-8
HumectantPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientMannitol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Methyl Methacrylate/Acrylonitrile Copolymer
CI 77480
Cosmetic ColorantAureobasidium Pullulans Ferment
Skin ConditioningResveratrol
Antioxidant
Magnesium Sulfate
Calcium Chloride
AstringentAcetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Manganese Sulfate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Zinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Polyglycerin-3, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-8, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Polysorbate 20, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Caprylate, Mannitol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Methyl Methacrylate/Acrylonitrile Copolymer, CI 77480, Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment, Resveratrol, Magnesium Sulfate, Calcium Chloride, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Manganese Sulfate, Tocopherol, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Zinc Sulfate, Ascorbyl Glucoside
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerAdenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
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 PropanediolTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
