What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Diglycerin
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Algin
Masking
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingEvodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingPullulan
Serine
Masking
Trehalose
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Xylitol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
Masking
Water, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Propanediol, Ethoxydiglycol, Pentylene Glycol, Diglycerin, Xylitylglucoside, Algin, Disodium Phosphate, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Potassium Phosphate, Pullulan, Serine, Trehalose, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Urea, Xylitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentTocopherol
Antioxidant
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
You might know this ingredient as Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, a more stable version of ascorbic acid.
Like other types of vitamin C, this ingredient has many benefits including reducing wrinkles, skin soothing, dark spot fading, and fighting against free radicals.
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid interferes with the process of skin darkening, helping to reduce hyperpigmentation. It also encourages the skin to produce more collagen.
Once applied, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is converted to Vitamin C deeper in the skin's layers. This process is slow but makes this ingredient more tolerable for skin.
The optimum pH range for this ingredient is 4 - 5.5
Learn more about 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
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
