Serum
Serum
American United States
Canadian Canada

What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Water

Skin Conditioning

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum

Absorbent

Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum

Skin Conditioning

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Astringent
Can worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Dimethyl Sulfone

Solvent

Sea Water Extract

Skin Conditioning

Ubiquinone

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

Emollient
0-2 / 0 Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Centella Asiatica Extract

Cleansing
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sodium PCA

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Sodium Lactate

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Arginine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Aspartic Acid

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Glycine

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Alanine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Serine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Valine

Masking

Isoleucine

Skin Conditioning

Proline

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Threonine

Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Histidine

Humectant
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Phenylalanine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Teprenone

Skin Conditioning

Glycine Soja Protein

Emulsifying

Hydrolyzed Rice Protein

Skin Conditioning

Superoxide Dismutase

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Cycloastragenol

Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract

Skin Conditioning

Equisetum Arvense Extract

Astringent

Geranium Maculatum Extract

Tonic

Taraxacum Officinale Extract

Skin Conditioning

Achillea Millefolium Extract

Cleansing

Chondrus Crispus Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Curcuma Longa Rhizome Extract

Skin Conditioning

Spirulina Maxima Extract

Smoothing

4-T-Butylcyclohexanol

Masking
Fragrance IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Tripeptide-10 Citrulline

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Humectant
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Humectant
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Acetyl Hexapeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

Cleansing
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Hexapeptide-11

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Carnosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Pentapeptide-18

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Tripeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Copper Tripeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Tripeptide-32

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Hexapeptide-9

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Hexapeptide-10

Humectant
Peptide Icon

Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate

Skin Conditioning

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5

Humectant
Peptide Icon

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Masking
Coconut Derived IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Emulsion Stabilising

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Emulsion Stabilising

Lecithin

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Carrageenan

Bad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin Icon

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning
Good for Barrier Repair Icon

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Tetrasodium EDTA

Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Dimethyl Sulfone, Sea Water Extract, Ubiquinone, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Teprenone, Glycine Soja Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Superoxide Dismutase, Cycloastragenol, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Geranium Maculatum Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Curcuma Longa Rhizome Extract, Spirulina Maxima Extract, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Tripeptide-10 Citrulline, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hexapeptide-11, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Carnosine, Pentapeptide-18, Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-32, Hexapeptide-9, Hexapeptide-10, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carrageenan, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Masking, Skin Conditioning

Alanine is an amino acid and is already found in the human body. Our skin uses alanine to build collagen, elastin, and keratin.

Masking, Skin Conditioning

Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.

It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.

A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.

Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.

One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.

Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.

Learn more about Arginine
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Aspartic Acid is an amino acid that our bodies produce naturally. It is an antioxidant.

Our body uses Aspartic Acid to help build collagen and elastin. It also plays a role in hydrating skin.

Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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 Glycerin
Buffering, Skin Conditioning

Glycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.

Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Histidine is a semi-essential amino acid used by our bodies to create protein. It has humectant and skin conditioning properties.

Our bodies use histidine to create filaggrin - filaggrin is a structural protein that the skin uses in maintaining skin barrier.

One study found histidine and carnosine to be a dynamic duo for your skin:

Oral histidine has also been found to help with filaggrin-deficit skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis.

Why is it considered a semi-essential amino acid? This is because adults are able to create it but children must get it from their diet.

Learn more about Histidine
Skin Conditioning

Isoleucine is an amino acid that helps reinforce our skin barrier. This amino acid plays a role in creating protein for the body.

Fun fact: Isoleucine is found in meat, fish, dairy, legumes, and nuts.

Masking, Skin Conditioning

Phenylalanine is an amino acid. It is a skin soothing and hydrating ingredient. Amino acids play a crucial role in wound healing and skin hydration.

This ingredient is also used to help even out skin tone due to its ability to disrupt the melanin production process.

Two structures of phenylalanine exist: L-phenylalanine and D-phenylalanine. L-phenylalanine is essential, this means our bodies cannot produce it naturally and we must get it from foods. Our bodies convert D-phenylalanine to neurotransmitters, and D-phenylalanine is found in our bodies naturally.

Some foods that contain L-phenylalanine include eggs, soybeans, beef, milk.

Learn more about Phenylalanine
Preservative

Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.

This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.

Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.

You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.

Learn more about Potassium Sorbate
Skin Conditioning

Proline is a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body can make it on its own. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning ingredient that keeps skin soft and hydrated.

It makes up about 23% of the collagen molecule (collagen is the protein responsible for keeping your skin firm) and is involved in your skin's natural hyaluronic acid production. When applied topically, proline can penetrate the skin fairly well due to its small molecular size.

Reviews of this ingredient have found it to be neither a dermal irritant nor a sensitizer.

Fun fact: Proline can be found in protein-rich foods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy.

Learn more about Proline
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Serine is a non-essential amino acid (your body makes it on its own!). It is a major player in your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.

Serine is one of your NMF's most abundant components that works as a skin-identical humectant. Its hydroxyl group grabs onto water molecules to boost hydration without any heaviness or occlusion.

Research on a hydrogel with serine confirmed this serine got delivered to your stratum corneum and demonstrated enhanced skin moisturization.

Interestingly serine also helps your skin produce filaggrin, a protein that keeps your skin barrier strong and used to create collagen.

Learn more about Serine
Masking, Preservative

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Benzoate
Buffering, Humectant

Sodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.

This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.

High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.

Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.

Learn more about Sodium Lactate
Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Sodium PCA (the salt of PCA) is one of the most well-established humectants in skincare.

Why is it so special? Your skin already makes it naturally; it's a natural component of your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the mix of water-binding compounds inside your skin cells that keeps things soft and hydrated.

As a cosmetic ingredient, it grabs water and holds it in the upper layers of skin to smooth roughness and ease dehydration.

There's some clinical support for the NMF approach with a study showing that a cream built to mimic the skin's NMF significantly boosted hydration.

Safety-wise, this ingredient non-irritating, non-comedogenic, and non-phototoxic in testing, with minimal skin absorption.

It also works really well with other hydrators like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, and typical usage is somewhere between 0.2-4%.

Learn more about Sodium PCA

Threonine is an amino-acid. It helps hydrate the skin and has antioxidant benefits.

Our skin uses threonine for creating collagen and elastin. Humans are not able to create threonine and must get it through eating foods such as fish, lentils, poultry, sesame seeds, and more.

Masking, Skin Conditioning

Valine is an essential amino acid. It is used by our bodies for tissue repair and muscle growth.

An essential amino acid is one in which our bodies cannot naturally produce so we must get them through diet. Foods such as eggs, dairy, red meat, and fish contain valine.

This ingredient can either be derived from an animal product or be synthetically created.

Learn more about Valine
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. 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

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