What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantC12-14 Alketh-12
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycerin
HumectantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantSqualane
EmollientDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Water, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, C12-14 Alketh-12, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Squalane, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyquaternium-51, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventChondrus Crispus
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantGlycoproteins
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Propanediol, Chondrus Crispus, Ethylhexylglycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Glycoproteins, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer
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 GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 AcidHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSodium 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 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