What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventPEG-32
HumectantTriethyl Citrate
MaskingMethyl Gluceth-10
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventPEG-75
HumectantMaltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningDisodium Succinate
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningViscum Album Leaf Extract
SoothingSuccinic Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningC12-13 Alkyl Glyceryl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantLactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantAphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide
AbsorbentSilica
AbrasiveWater, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Pentylene Glycol, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, PEG-32, Triethyl Citrate, Methyl Gluceth-10, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Trehalose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, PEG-75, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Disodium Succinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Potassium Hydroxide, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Viscum Album Leaf Extract, Succinic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, C12-13 Alkyl Glyceryl Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Copper Tripeptide-1, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Lactococcus/Hyaluronic Acid Ferment Filtrate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide, Silica
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantPEG-75
HumectantSerine
MaskingBetaine
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantPEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Triisostearate
EmulsifyingPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeArginine
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium PCA
HumectantAlanine
MaskingLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningPCA Ethyl Cocoyl Arginate
MoisturisingGlycine
BufferingCeteth-20
CleansingThreonine
Valine
MaskingHistidine
HumectantProline
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningPentasodium Pentetate
Carnosine
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-61
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Methyl Gluceth-20, PEG-75, Serine, Betaine, Sodium Citrate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, PEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Triisostearate, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine, Citric Acid, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocopherol, Sodium PCA, Alanine, Lysine Hcl, PCA Ethyl Cocoyl Arginate, Glycine, Ceteth-20, Threonine, Valine, Histidine, Proline, Leucine, Pentasodium Pentetate, Carnosine, Polyquaternium-61, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is also known as Macrogol 4000. It is a polyethylene glycol with an average molecular weight of about 3,000 - 4,000 and functions as a humectant and solvent.
Solvents help dissolve and evenly distribute other ingredients within a formula.
Due to its high molecular weight, PEG-75 has limited skin penetration and remains mostly on the surface.
Learn more about PEG-75Sodium 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