What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
C12-14 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTrehalose
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlycine
Buffering
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientAlanine
Masking
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Water, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, C12-14 Pareth-7, Tromethamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Trehalose, Carbomer, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phosphatidylcholine, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Saccharide Isomerate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycine, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine, Algae Extract, Alanine, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Threonine, Proline, Arginine, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Disodium Succinate
MaskingSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Hyaluronate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Succinate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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
