What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientRetinol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chitosan
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Decapeptide-7
Antioxidant
Sh-Octapeptide-4
Antioxidant
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-22
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Methylpropanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Betaine, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Xanthan Gum, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Retinol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Chitosan, Beta-Glucan, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bakuchiol, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sh-Decapeptide-7, Sh-Octapeptide-4, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-22, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-3
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract
SmoothingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Jasminum Officinale Oil
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alcohol, Allantoin, Carbomer, Arginine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Lecithin, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
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
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineAllantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 GlycolCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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
