What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSea Water
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantXylitol
HumectantBacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningMicrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Tromethamine
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sea Water, Panthenol, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Xylitol, Bacillus Ferment, Micrococcus Lysate, Betaine, Allantoin, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Sodium PCA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Tromethamine, Tocopherol, Carbomer
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientGlycereth-26
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingSorbitol
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningSalvia Hispanica Seed Extract
EmollientOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
TonicBetaine
HumectantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveButylene Glycol
HumectantTuber Magnatum Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientSaussurea Involucrata Extract
HumectantPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLeontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningFreesia Refracta Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBellis Perennis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeBixa Orellana Seed Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Sorbitol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Persea Gratissima Oil, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Betaine, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Butylene Glycol, Tuber Magnatum Extract, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Adenosine, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glycine Soja Oil, Saussurea Involucrata Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Freesia Refracta Extract, Carbomer, Bellis Perennis Flower Extract, Arginine, Potassium Sorbate, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Parfum, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Citronellol
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
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrolyzed 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 AcidTocopherol 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