What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPEG-12 Dimethicone Crosspolymer
EmulsifyingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientLaureth-23
CleansingLaureth-4
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantHeparan Sulfate
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Sunflowerseedate
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningLysophosphatidic Acid
Skin ConditioningMyristoyl Nonapeptide-3
Skin ConditioningMyristoyl Pentapeptide-17
Skin ConditioningSodium Safflowerate
CleansingLinseed Oil Ethyl Esters
AntioxidantDipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingPolyaminopropyl Biguanide
PreservativeParfum
MaskingTromethamine
BufferingWater, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-12 Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Dimethicone, Laureth-23, Laureth-4, Glycerin, Heparan Sulfate, Pentylene Glycol, Retinyl Sunflowerseedate, Retinol, Lysophosphatidic Acid, Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Sodium Safflowerate, Linseed Oil Ethyl Esters, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Allantoin, Panthenol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Polysorbate 80, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Parfum, Tromethamine
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientChondrus Crispus Powder
AbrasiveChondrus Crispus
MaskingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAlgin
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPotassium Chloride
Betaine
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSucrose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCollagen
MoisturisingButylene Glycol
HumectantCyanocobalamin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantPantolactone
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantDunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-121
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Chondrus Crispus, Cellulose Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Betaine, Panthenol, Sucrose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Adenosine, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Maltodextrin, Caffeine, Collagen, Butylene Glycol, Cyanocobalamin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Pantolactone, Pentylene Glycol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Sh-Polypeptide-121, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDipropylene 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 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 AcidPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPentylene 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 GlycolWater. 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