What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingCalendula Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveRubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningMorus Nigra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Dna
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientOleic Acid
EmollientInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Morus Nigra Fruit Extract, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Ceramide NP, Squalane, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Dna, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Cholesterol, Palmitic Acid, Oleic Acid, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Hydrogenated Rosinate
PerfumingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingHexanediol
SolventChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantGlucose
HumectantHydrolyzed Dna
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantUrea
BufferingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Serine
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAlgin
MaskingPullulan
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Methyl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Dipropylene Glycol, Distarch Phosphate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Hexanediol, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Glycine Soja Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Octyldodecanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glucose, Hydrolyzed Dna, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Panthenol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Adenosine, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trehalose, Urea, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Serine, Caprylyl Glycol, Algin, Pullulan, Disodium Phosphate, Potassium Phosphate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
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 GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Hydrolyzed Dna yet.
Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePentylene 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 Water