What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Natto Gum
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arginine, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Betaine, Allantoin, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Natto Gum, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrehalose
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Water, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Trehalose, Tromethamine, Cellulose Gum, Adenosine, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panax Ginseng Root Extract
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 a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPolyglutamic Acid is made up many glutamic acids chained together. It is created from bacterial fermentation.
This ingredient is an effective skin hydrator and may help speed up wound healing. As a humectant, it draws and holds water to the skin. This ingredient is often compared to hyaluronic acid or glycerin. Similarly to hyaluronic acid, it can vary in molecular weights. This means polyglutamic acid is capable of bringing hydration to lower levels of the skin.
Fun fact: Polyglutamic Acid is found in the Japanese food, natto. It is also being used in cancer treatment studies.
Learn more about Polyglutamic AcidWater. 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
