What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Disodium EDTA
Dextrin
AbsorbentCitric Acid
Buffering
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSucrose Laurate
Emollient
Glycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Histidine
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCymbopogon Nardus Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingBenzyl Glycol
SolventHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glycereth-26, Butylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Xanthan Gum, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Dextrin, Citric Acid, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sucrose Laurate, Glycine, Serine, Arginine, Histidine, Sodium Citrate, Cymbopogon Nardus Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Tocopherol, Propanediol, Lysolecithin, Benzyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Malachite Extract
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Betaine, Allantoin, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ectoin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, 2,3-Butanediol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Trehalose, Arginine, Pentylene Glycol, Malachite Extract, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin
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
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene 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 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 AcidPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.
Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:
Learn more about Sodium Acetylated HyaluronateSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is a crosslinked version of sodium hyaluronate. This just means it's linked into a 3D mesh network that lets it be more stable and sit on skin as a cohesive, gel-like film rather than sinking into skin.
A 2016 human skin study found crosslinked HA increased epidermal water content by 7.6% over the control group and reduced transepidermal water loss by 27.8%.
A follow-up clinical trial found that a topical crosslinked HA serum applied after fillers, microneedling, or chemical peels was well-tolerated and enhanced skin quality at 14 / 28 days.
More recent research suggests that concentrations as low as 0.03% can act as a penetration enhancer for other skincare actives.
Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
