What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventDibutyl Adipate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientDeoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientParfum
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-2
Skin ConditioningBakuchiol
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol Alginate
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Dibutyl Adipate, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Glycine Soja Oil, Deoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Parfum, Pentylene Glycol, Retinol, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Bakuchiol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Acacia Senegal Gum, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantTriethylhexanoin
MaskingLactobacillus/Collagen/Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Leaf Extract Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeRetinal
Skin ConditioningPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCrithmum Maritimum Extract
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Butylene Glycol
HumectantSucrose Laurate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantPEG-75 Stearate
SurfactantWater, Glycerin, Triethylhexanoin, Lactobacillus/Collagen/Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Leaf Extract Ferment Lysate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Retinal, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Tromethamine, Polyglutamic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Sucrose Laurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, PEG-75 Stearate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium 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