What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientCetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Crithmum Maritimum Extract
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Gluconolactone, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Salicylate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Glutamylamidoethyl Indole
Skin Protecting
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
Glycerin (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
