What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPEG-32
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingDiazolidinyl Urea
PreservativePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Agar
MaskingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingRose Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Trehalose, Saccharide Isomerate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, PEG-32, 1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Trideceth-9, Diazolidinyl Urea, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Agar, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Polysorbate 20, Parfum, Rose Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, CI 19140, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingDimethicone
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantMaris Aqua
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
Emollient4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
MaskingUbiquinone
AntioxidantPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBisabolol
AntioxidantEctoin
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
AntioxidantLactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDimethiconol
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentGlucose
HumectantWater, Methylpropanediol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Centella Asiatica Extract, Propylene Glycol, Maris Aqua, Ceramide NP, Panthenol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Ubiquinone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Bisabolol, Ectoin, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dimethiconol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Glucose
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
Glycerin (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 Water