What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDiglycerin
Humectant
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Tranexamic Acid, Cetyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dipropylene Glycol, Diglycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Metabisulfite, Behenyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Vinyldimethicone
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMethylpropanediol
SolventFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycereth-26, Glyceryl Stearate, Betaine, Behenyl Alcohol, Vinyldimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Methylpropanediol, Fructooligosaccharides, Disodium EDTA, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidSodium 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 Hyaluronate
