What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantSqualane
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDextrin
AbsorbentSodium Citrate
BufferingRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Glycol
SolventPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningBacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Hydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingCoriandrum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningCrocus Sativus Flower Extract
MaskingElettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract
PerfumingFoeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientAcetylphytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingRaspberry Ketone
MaskingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningMalachite Extract
AntioxidantGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Xylitol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Allantoin, Trehalose, Squalane, Ceramide NP, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dextrin, Sodium Citrate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Benzyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Bacillus Ferment, Pullulan, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citric Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cholesterol, Stearic Acid, Coriandrum Sativum Extract, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract, Palmitic Acid, Acetylphytosphingosine, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Raspberry Ketone, Phytosphingosine, Malachite Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventBifida Ferment Lysate 3.6%
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment Lysate 3.6%
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningPichia Ferment Lysate Filtrate
HumectantSaccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningColostrum
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantVincetoxicum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantMilk Lipids
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDiphenyl Dimethicone
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
Citric Acid
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantMagnesium Chloride
Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Bifida Ferment Lysate 3.6%, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate 3.6%, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Pichia Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Colostrum, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Xylitol, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Milk Lipids, Betaine, Panthenol, Glucose, Glycerin, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Adenosine, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Magnesium Chloride, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
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
Butylene 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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol 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 Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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 WaterXylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.
In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.
The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.
As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.
Learn more about Xylitol