What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Emulsifying
Diglycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Diphenyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Glycine
CleansingEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningMalt Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Zea Mays Kernel Extract
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Glutathione
Disodium EDTA
Pyridoxine
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Folic Acid
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicMagnesium PCA
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Sucrose
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Calcium Chloride
AstringentSea Salt
Abrasive
Alanine
Masking
Magnesium Chloride
Threonine
Histidine
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Valine
MaskingThiamine Hcl
MaskingRiboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Inositol
Humectant
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingLysine
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningTyrosine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Citrate
Skin ConditioningGlucosamine Hcl
Phenylalanine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide
Skin ConditioningAsparagine
MaskingCitrulline
Skin ConditioningMethionine
Skin ConditioningTaurine
BufferingTryptophan
MaskingFormic Acid
Preservative
Glutamine
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Diglycerin, Panthenol, Caprylyl Glycol, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Adenosine, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Palmitoyl Glycine, Ectoin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tranexamic Acid, Thioctic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Malt Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glutathione, Disodium EDTA, Pyridoxine, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Magnesium PCA, Copper Tripeptide-1, Tocopherol, Cyanocobalamin, Serine, Sucrose, Glycine, Calcium Chloride, Sea Salt, Alanine, Magnesium Chloride, Threonine, Histidine, Aspartic Acid, Valine, Thiamine Hcl, Riboflavin, Linoleic Acid, Inositol, Beta-Carotene, Proline, Dipotassium Phosphate, Lysine, Leucine, Tyrosine, Isoleucine, Magnesium Citrate, Glucosamine Hcl, Phenylalanine, Glutamic Acid, Arginine, 1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, Asparagine, Citrulline, Methionine, Taurine, Tryptophan, Formic Acid, Glutamine
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ceteth-10 Phosphate
CleansingDicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sclareolide
Masking
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Water, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Octyldodecanol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Squalane, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Phenoxyethanol, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Cetyl Palmitate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sclareolide, Polysorbate 60, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Bisabolol, Sorbitan Oleate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlycerinPhenylethyl Resorcinol (PR) is a synthetic antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitor. This ingredient is found naturally in pine trees.
What is a tyrosinase inhibitor?
Tyrosinase is an enzyme that plays a key role in melanin production, which leads to skin darkening when exposed to UV light. By inhibiting this enzyme, PR can help with skin brightening and lifting dark spots.
The manufacturer states 0.5% of PR is more effective than 1% kojic acid. In 2013, a study of 80 participants found combining PR with other skin-brightening ingredients found 57% showed moderate improvement and 17% saw no change. Another study with 20 women reported a 43% reduction in uneven skin tone.
While more research is needed to fully confirm PR's efficacy, there’s no harm in trying it - especially when combined with other proven skin-brightening ingredients.
Learn more about Phenylethyl ResorcinolSodium 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
