What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil
Masking
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Santalum Album Extract
CleansingPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Polysorbate 20, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Sodium PCA, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Glycolic Acid, Polysorbate 80, Phospholipids, Santalum Album Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylpropanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
Paeonia Lactiflora Leaf Cell Extract
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Squalane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Polyacrylamide, Paeonia Lactiflora Leaf Cell Extract, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Sodium PCA, Proline, Alanine, Serine, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylpropanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylhydroxamic Acid is a chelating agent that helps cosmetics stay fresh, stable, and consistent over time.
Chelating agents help prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps prevent unwanted reactions and effects from using the product. It also helps prevent the growth of unwanted microbes in products that contain water.
Caprylhydroxamic Acid is often used with natural antimicrobial products as an alternative to preservatives.
Learn more about Caprylhydroxamic AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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
