What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantBetaine
HumectantAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantSodium Ascorbate
AntioxidantSodium Phosphate
BufferingGlycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantTetradecyloctadecyl Hexyldecanoate
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantTrisodium Ascorbyl Palmitate Phosphate
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMalic Acid
BufferingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSoluble Collagen
HumectantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPPG-4-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBeheneth-30
CleansingSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylparaben
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Phosphate, Glycosyl Trehalose, Ascorbic Acid, Tetradecyloctadecyl Hexyldecanoate, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ascorbyl Palmitate Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Malic Acid, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Soluble Collagen, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-4-Ceteth-20, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Beheneth-30, Sodium Metaphosphate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantArginine
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDimethyl Sulfone
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Laurate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingHoney Extract
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Propolis Extract, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Arginine, Panthenol, Trehalose, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dimethyl Sulfone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Adenosine, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Honey Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateSodium 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