What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Vegetable Oil
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylamide
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingC13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Vegetable Oil, Polyacrylamide, Carbomer, Laureth-7, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Sea Water
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ecklonia Cava Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract
Salicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Isohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sea Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Ecklonia Cava Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Allantoin, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Adenosine, Sorbitan Stearate, Sorbitan Oleate, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Carbomer, Arginine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 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
Carbomer 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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 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
