What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Malachite Extract
Antioxidant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Trehalose, Betaine, Propanediol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Ceramide NP, Beta-Glucan, Malachite Extract, Cholesterol, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDextrin
AbsorbentGardenia Florida Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Glycol
SolventArginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
C12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingPoloxamer 407
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Raspberry Ketone
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Chloride, Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cellulose Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Adenosine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dextrin, Gardenia Florida Flower Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Benzyl Glycol, Arginine, Carbomer, Alcohol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Poloxamer 407, BHT, Raspberry Ketone, Disodium EDTA
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 AcidPropanediol 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 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 Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.
A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.
A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.
More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerWater. 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
