This hydrating serum is formulated around Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to hydrate skin.
This hydrating essence is formulated around Snail Secretion Filtrate and Allantoin to hydrate skin and calm redness.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Honey
Humectant
Juglans Regia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentLilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Limonene
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNatto Gum
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Geraniol
Perfuming
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Glycerin, Betaine, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Parfum, Honey, Juglans Regia Seed Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Limonene, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Phenyl Trimethicone, Chondrus Crispus, Linalool, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Natto Gum, Citronellol, Citral, Propylene Glycol, Geraniol, Chlorphenesin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, BHT, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine 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 CarbomerPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
