What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Bran/Germ Oil
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polysilicone-11
PEG-75 Stearate
Tribehenin
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ceteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingSucrose Palmitate
EmollientDimethiconol
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Cocoate
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Croton Lechleri Resin Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingDimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Farnesol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Oryza Sativa Bran/Germ Oil, Squalane, Octyldodecanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysilicone-11, PEG-75 Stearate, Tribehenin, Parfum, Polysorbate 20, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Sucrose Palmitate, Dimethiconol, Glyceryl Behenate, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Polyacrylamide, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Linoleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Retinol, Croton Lechleri Resin Extract, Lecithin, Gluconolactone, Laureth-7, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool, Farnesol, Citral, Citronellol
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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
