What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Lauroyl Glutamate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Sorbitol
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Ceteth-20
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-45 Stearate
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Methylserine
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-7
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Dimethoxy Di-P-Cresol
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Prunus Yedoensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aminobutyric Acid
Zostera Marina Extract
Skin ConditioningPyracantha Fortuneana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic Colorant2-Methyl-4-(2,2,3-Trimethyl-3-Cyclopentenyl)-2-Buten-1-Ol
Perfuming
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHexamethylindanopyran
Masking
Ionone
Astringent
Linalool
Perfuming
Methylcyclopentadecenone
MaskingMethyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingMethylenedioxyphenyl Methylpropanal
Perfuming
Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Masking
Cis-3-Hexenyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Glycerin, Water, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Potassium Lauroyl Glutamate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sorbitol, Glycol Distearate, Ceteth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-45 Stearate, Parfum, Butylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Methylserine, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Polyquaternium-7, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Niacinamide, Hydroxycitronellal, Dimethoxy Di-P-Cresol, Sodium Benzoate, Hydrolyzed Silk, Prunus Yedoensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Aminobutyric Acid, Zostera Marina Extract, Pyracantha Fortuneana Fruit Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein, CI 15985, CI 19140, 2-Methyl-4-(2,2,3-Trimethyl-3-Cyclopentenyl)-2-Buten-1-Ol, Dipropylene Glycol, Hexamethylindanopyran, Ionone, Linalool, Methylcyclopentadecenone, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Methylenedioxyphenyl Methylpropanal, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Cis-3-Hexenyl Salicylate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium 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
