What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGarcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLitchi Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPassiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPsidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAverrhoa Carambola Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Guar
Emulsion StabilisingXylitol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Water, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract, Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Averrhoa Carambola Fruit Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Glucose, Lactic Acid, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Guar, Xylitol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningZinc PCA
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xylitol
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract
MoisturisingTremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Tuber Melanosporum Extract
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Levulinate, Zinc PCA, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Citric Acid, Xylitol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glucose, Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Tuber Melanosporum Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is created from dehydrating xylitol in acidic conditions. Xylitol is a famous sugar and humectant.
Much like its predecessor, anhydroxylitol is a humectant. Humectants attract and hold water to moisturize the skin.
This ingredient is most commonly found in a popular trio called Aquaxyl. Aquaxyl is made up of anhydroxylitol (24 - 34%), xylitylglucoside (35 - 50%), and xylitol (5 - 15%).
According to a manufacturer, Aquaxyl is known for a 3-D hydration concept and an anti-dehydration shield to reinforce the outer layer of skin.
This ingredient is often derived from plants such as wood and sugarcane.
Learn more about AnhydroxylitolGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 WaterXylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.
In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.
The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.
As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.
Learn more about XylitolXylitylglucoside is created from xylitol and glucose, two humectants.
Not surprisingly, this ingredient is also a humectant. It attracts and holds water in your skin, helping to maintain hydration.
This ingredient is most commonly found in a popular trio called Aquaxyl. Aquaxyl is made up of anhydroxylitol(24 - 34%), xylitylglucoside (35 - 50%), and xylitol (5 - 15%).
According to a manufacturer, Aquaxyl is known for a 3-D hydration concept and an anti-dehydration shield to reinforce the outer layer of skin.
Learn more about Xylitylglucoside
