What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingOryza Sativa Germ Extract
EmollientOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Oleate
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Oligopeptide-68
Bleaching
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlucose
Humectant
Honey Extract
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningWater, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Glycerin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glycine Soja Oil, Butylene Glycol, Alpha-Arbutin, Tranexamic Acid, Sodium PCA, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Oryza Sativa Germ Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Oleate, Disodium EDTA, Oligopeptide-68, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Glucose, Honey Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Ceramide EOP, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer 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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
