What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract
Aspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC15-23 Alkane
SolventC13-14 Alkane
SolventBetaine
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Mandelic Acid, Glycerin, Isopentyldiol, Squalane, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Aspergillus Ferment, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C15-23 Alkane, C13-14 Alkane, Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinSodium 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
