What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Polysilicone-11
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Tromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMenthyl Lactate
Masking
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sophora Flavescens Root Extract
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Polysilicone-11, Glycereth-26, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Methicone, Polysorbate 80, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Menthyl Lactate, Xylitylglucoside, Butylene Glycol, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Saccharide Isomerate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 17200, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-26
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Aroma
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Arginine, Carbomer, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Aroma, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, CI 14700
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
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycereth-26 is a synthetic ingredient and polyethylene glycol ether of Glycerin. Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps keep your skin moisturized.
It is a humectant and helps add texture to products. It can make your product thicker.
As a humectant, it helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps your skin stay hydrated.
Learn more about Glycereth-26Glycerin (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 HydroxyacetophenoneSodium 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
