What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Diphenyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningXylose
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Gellan Gum
Agar
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningAstaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglycerin-3, Retinal, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Xylose, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tromethamine, Allantoin, Gellan Gum, Agar, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Acetyl Glucosamine, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Beta-Carotene, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Cyanocobalamin, Astaxanthin, Tocopherol, Polyglutamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Momordica Charantia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingLeontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside 80%
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract, Propanediol, Water, Glycerin, Betaine, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Momordica Charantia Fruit Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Madecassoside 80%
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.
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 preservatives
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineAllantoin 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 AllantoinCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
