What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Pullulan
Collagen
Moisturising
Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract
HumectantBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Gleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Caprate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Propylene Glycol, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, Pullulan, Collagen, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Gleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Glycerin, Carbomer, Sodium Gluconate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glyceryl Caprate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Phytic Acid
Secale Cereale Seed Extract
Abrasive
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Calcium Pantothenate
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Acetic Acid
BufferingAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLactic Acid
Buffering
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyepsilon-Lysine
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Simethicone
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betaine, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Phytic Acid, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Calcium Pantothenate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Isopropyl Myristate, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Acetic Acid, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Lactic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Polyepsilon-Lysine, Polysorbate 20, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Sodium Lactate, Sorbitan Laurate, Tocopherol, Simethicone, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Linalool, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
