What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethyl Sulfone
SolventErythritol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Arginine
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCapparis Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Taraxacum Platycarpum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantPsidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentCitrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Benzyl Glycol
SolventHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Raspberry Ketone
Masking
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethyl Sulfone, Erythritol, Butylene Glycol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Maltodextrin, Arginine, Pentylene Glycol, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Allantoin, Gluconolactone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Capparis Spinosa Fruit Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Taraxacum Platycarpum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Propanediol, Benzyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Raspberry Ketone, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Allium Cepa Bulb Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Heparin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllium Cepa Bulb Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Sodium Heparin, Panthenol, Allantoin, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Tranexamic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Gluconolactone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Adenosine, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin
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
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 AllantoinButylene 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 AcidHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseSodium 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 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 Water
