This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil and Laminaria Digitata Extract to hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Sea Water Extract
Skin ConditioningSpirulina Maxima Extract
SmoothingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Collagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Algae Extract
EmollientCitrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed
Perfuming
Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract
HumectantLimonene
Perfuming
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Coconut Alkanes, Isopropyl Myristate, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Glycerin, Isododecane, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Sea Water Extract, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Collagen Amino Acids, Algae Extract, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract, Limonene, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Linalool, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Arginine, Potassium Sorbate, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Tocopherol, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Algae Extract is a confusing name. This is because algae is an informal term for a group of 30,000 aquatic organisms that can photosynthesize.
The term 'algae extract' can refer to any one, or a blend of, the 30,000 types.
Algae is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Algae can also help with soothing and hydrating skin.
Many different types of algae have different benefits.
Learn more about Algae ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium 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
