What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
C12-13 Pareth-9
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingInulin
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Fructose
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
PCA
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Propanediol, C12-13 Pareth-9, Niacinamide, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Phenethyl Alcohol, Inulin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Fructose, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, PCA, Pentylene Glycol, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Ascorbyl Palmitate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
1,2-Heptanediol
Skin ConditioningCarpobrotus Edulis Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Gellan Gum
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Calcium Chloride
AstringentTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Diglycerin, 1,2-Heptanediol, Carpobrotus Edulis Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Caprylyl Glycol, Gellan Gum, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Parfum, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Calcium Chloride, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlycerinSodium 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
