What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingSea Water
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Glycerin, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Sea Water, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Caprylyl Glycol, Tromethamine, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Wine Extract
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Α-Olefin Oligomer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Diglycerin
Humectant
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Beheneth-5
EmulsifyingPoly(2-Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine-Co-N-Butyl Methacrylate)
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEDTA
Triethanolamine
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Wine Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Α-Olefin Oligomer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Diglycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate, Beheneth-5, Poly(2-Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine-Co-N-Butyl Methacrylate), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, EDTA, Triethanolamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, 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.
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 GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearateHyaluronic 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 AcidHydrolyzed 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 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 GlycolSodium 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
