What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pyrus Cydonia Seed Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningXylitol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Glucose
Humectant
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pyrus Cydonia Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Beta-Glucan, Xylitol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Glucose, Phenethyl Alcohol, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citric Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Geraniol, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Vinyldimethicone
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Guaiazulene
Antimicrobial
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Skin ConditioningBetulin
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, C14-22 Alcohols, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Squalane, Ectoin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Vinyldimethicone, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Tocopherol, Betaine, Guaiazulene, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Betulin, Beta-Glucan, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
