What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingGlycereth-7 Triacetate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantPoria Cocos Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCalcium Gluconate
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Glycereth-7 Triacetate, Panthenol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Poria Cocos Polysaccharide, Chondrus Crispus Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Anisate, Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Gluconate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPolysilicone-11
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Glycerin
HumectantC13-15 Alkane
SolventLactobionic Acid
BufferingSilica
AbrasivePolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningLaureth-12
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingNymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Cera
Skin ConditioningWater, Niacinamide, Polysilicone-11, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glycerin, C13-15 Alkane, Lactobionic Acid, Silica, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Triheptanoin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Laureth-12, Propanediol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Cera
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 AcidPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a texture enhancer and pH adjuster.
It is be used to thicken water-based products and create a gel-texture with a velvet feel.
One manufacturer claims this ingredient to have a pH range of 2-8 and to be biodegradable.
This ingredient is also known as Sepimax Zen.
Learn more about Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6This is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateWater. 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