What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Palm Acid
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Castanea Crenata Shell Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Annua Extract
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Palm Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Glyceryl Glucoside, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Artemisia Annua Extract, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Phytate
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Propanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sorbitol
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Disodium EDTA
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Water, Coco-Betaine, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Cellulose Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Sorbitol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin
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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 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 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
