What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
CI 77004
Cosmetic ColorantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCanadian Colloidal Clay
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPsidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Allantoin, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Glycereth-26, Biosaccharide Gum-1, CI 77004, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Canadian Colloidal Clay, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Arginine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Hexapeptide-11, Copper Tripeptide-1
Reviews
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
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 GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 AcidHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseSodium 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
