What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water
Astringent
C12-13 Pareth-9
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Water, C12-13 Pareth-9, Glycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Zinc PCA, Caprylyl Glycol, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Copper Gluconate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Calcium Gluconate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Gluconolactone, Urea, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Zinc PCA, Trehalose, Sodium Hydroxide, Alcohol Denat., Hydroxyacetophenone
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
This ingredient is a copper salt known for its wound healing properties.
Our bodies use copper to help stabilize our skin's collagen and elastin. Its also an essential for superoxide dismutase, an enzyme with strong antioxidant properties.
Copper has wound healing properties due to its role in creating new blood vessels and tissue repair.
Learn more about Copper GluconateGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneWe don't have a description for Magnesium Aspartate yet.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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 WaterZinc gluconate has antibacterial and wound healing properties. It is particularly effective against fighting inflammatory acne.
This ingredient is the zinc salt of the PHA gluconic acid. PHAs are gentle cousins to AHAs.
Zinc PCA (or "zinc salt") differs slightly from zinc itself. PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. However, Zinc PCA comes from zinc.
It can help reduce redness, regulate sebum, and promote the general healing process of the skin.
Zinc PCA tends to be especially useful for those with oily, acne-prone skin. It's certainly an ingredient worth trying out!
Learn more about Zinc PCA
