What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Decyl Cocoate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientC12-16 Alcohols
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sea Water
HumectantLactobacillus/Sodium Hyaluronate Ferment Filtrate
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningLupinus Albus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hexylglycerin
HumectantAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Decyl Cocoate, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, C12-16 Alcohols, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sea Water, Lactobacillus/Sodium Hyaluronate Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Xylitol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract, Tromethamine, Pvp, Allantoin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hexylglycerin, Adenosine, Sodium Phytate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Palmitic Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Stearate
CleansingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingOctyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingArtemisia Annua Extract
MaskingAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Caprylic Acid
CleansingLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Betulin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Sodium Chloride, Octyldodeceth-16, Artemisia Annua Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Sodium Citrate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Arginine, Caprylic Acid, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Tocopherol, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betulin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Limonene
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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
