What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Lactobacillus/Collagen/Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Leaf Extract Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Arisaema Amurense Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Tranexamoyl Dipeptide-23
Bleaching
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acetyl Tyrosine
Skin ConditioningSaxifraga Sarmentosa Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Glutathione
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Alpha-Arbutin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Collagen/Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Leaf Extract Ferment Lysate, Arisaema Amurense Extract, Allantoin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Decyl Glucoside, Tranexamoyl Dipeptide-23, Polyglutamic Acid, Arbutin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Tyrosine, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glutathione, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Sodium Sulfite, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid 2%
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Polyacrylamide
Artemisia Capillaris Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Collagen
Moisturising
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Water, Propylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid 2%, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polyacrylamide, Artemisia Capillaris Flower Extract, Ferulic Acid, Collagen, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid Copolymer, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Parfum
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
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidThis form of hyaluronic acid is produced through fermentation.
According to a manufacturer, it has a positive charge by ionic binding to help moisturize and give hair a smooth feel. This is why you'll find this ingredient in shampoos and body washes.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.
Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:
Learn more about Sodium Acetylated HyaluronateSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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
