What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Agave Americana Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Agave Americana Stem Extract, Propanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Cellulose Gum, Allantoin, Caffeine, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xylitylglucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Anhydroxylitol, Niacinamide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xylitol, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf
Perfuming
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Sericin
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Germ Oil
Emollient
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Royal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Thymus Serpyllum Extract
Skin ConditioningZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Propanediol, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Squalane, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Sericin, Oryza Sativa Germ Oil, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Thymus Serpyllum Extract, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LauratePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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
