What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Tromethamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Dextran Sulfate
Gel Forming
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Xylitol
Humectant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Glucose
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Algin
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Pullulan
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingWater, Butylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Tromethamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Anhydroxylitol, Isohexadecane, Glycerin, Trehalose, Urea, Xylitol, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Polysorbate 80, Glucose, Pentylene Glycol, Serine, Sorbitan Oleate, Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Pullulan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Phosphate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingFucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Caffeine, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
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
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.
As an emollient, Isononyl Isononanoate helps keep your skin soft and smooth. This is because emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.
Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.
Learn more about Isononyl IsononanoatePentylene 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 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
