philosophy When Hope Is Not Enough Serum
philosophy Philosophy When Hope Is Not Enough Serum lists 22 ingredients on its label, 19 decoded. See what each one does, its irritancy and comedogenic tendency, and its status in national inventories.
Ingredients overview
Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.
Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.
- Water
- Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
- Pentylene Glycol
- Glycerin
- Butylene Glycol
- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
- Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
- Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3
- Glutathione
- Potassium Ascorbyl Tocopheryl Phosphate
- Larrea Divaricata Extract
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
- Allantoin
- Carbomer
- Lecithin
- Polysorbate 20
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Phenoxyethanol
- Methylbromo Glutaronitrile
- Fragrance
- Tetrasodium Edta
Highlights
Free of alcoholFree of parabensFree of siliconesFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of essential oilsFree of formaldehyde releasersContains EU-26 allergensContains PEGContains fragrance
Key ingredients
- ANTIPLAQUE
- Water
- VISCOSITY CONTROLLING
- Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
- SKIN CONDITIONING
- Pentylene Glycol
- DENATURANT
- Glycerin
- HUMECTANT
- Butylene Glycol
- ANTISTATIC
- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
- SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING
- Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
- REDUCING
- Glutathione
Other ingredients
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3Potassium Ascorbyl Tocopheryl PhosphateLarrea Divaricata ExtractSodium HyaluronateAloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractAllantoinCarbomerLecithinPolysorbate 20Sodium HydroxidePhenoxyethanolMethylbromo GlutaronitrileFragranceTetrasodium Edta
Skim through
| Ingredient | What it does | Irr. · Com. | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ANTIPLAQUE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glyceryl Polymethacrylate | VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Pentylene Glycol | SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Glycerin | DENATURANT, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN PROTECTING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING, PERFUMING, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING - HUMECTANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Butylene Glycol | HUMECTANT, FRAGRANCE, SKIN CONDITIONING, SOLVENT, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Hydrolyzed Soy Protein | ANTISTATIC, HAIR CONDITIONING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3 | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Glutathione | REDUCING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Potassium Ascorbyl Tocopheryl Phosphate | ANTIOXIDANT | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Larrea Divaricata Extract | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Sodium Hyaluronate | HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract | SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, HUMECTANT, ORAL CARE, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Allantoin | SKIN CONDITIONING, SKIN PROTECTING, SOOTHING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Carbomer | EMULSION STABILISING, GEL FORMING, VISCOSITY CONTROLLING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Lecithin | ANTISTATIC, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SKIN CONDITIONING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Polysorbate 20 | SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING | 0 · 0 | Green |
| Sodium Hydroxide | BUFFERING, DENATURANT · 限制 III/15a | 3 · – | Green |
| Phenoxyethanol | ANTIMICROBIAL, PRESERVATIVE · 限制 V/29 | 1 · 0 | Yellow |
| Methylbromo Glutaronitrile | Not decoded yet | — | — |
| Fragrance | 矫味剂,增香剂 | — | Yellow |
| Tetrasodium Edta | CHELATING | 0 · 0 | Green |
Ingredients explained
- Water
- Primary solvent and base; requires preservative system to prevent microbial growth
- Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
- Acrylate polymer for high viscosity, film formation, and conditioning feel. Synthetic polymer, low irritancy.
- Pentylene Glycol
- Polyol humectant at 1-3%; low irritancy, suitable for sensitive skin
- Glycerin
- Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives
- Butylene Glycol
- Polyol humectant and solvent at 1–5%; aids solubilization, light feel
- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
- Hydrolyzed soy protein for hydration and antistatic effect; soy is a common allergen requiring labeling, low comedogenicity.
- Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
- PEG-modified nonionic surfactant for emulsification and cleansing; contains PEG, monitor dioxane, low comedogenicity.
- Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-3
- Not decoded yet
- Glutathione
- Antioxidant and brightening agent; unstable, requires antioxidants and protection from light.
- Potassium Ascorbyl Tocopheryl Phosphate
- Stable water-soluble antioxidant; keep pH acidic, use chelators if metal ions present
- Larrea Divaricata Extract
- Not decoded yet
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- Potent humectant at 0.1–2%; different MW for penetration depth, high levels may draw moisture
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
- Aloe vera leaf extract for soothing and humectant; monitor polysaccharide level and endotoxins
- Allantoin
- Skin soother at 0.5-2%; promotes cell regeneration
- Carbomer
- Gelling thickener requiring neutralization; watch out for ion compatibility
- Lecithin
- Phospholipid emulsifier at 1-5%; biocompatible, moisturizing/antioxidant, prone to oxidation (add TBHQ), mild for sensitive skin.
- Polysorbate 20
- Non-ionic emulsifier and cleansing surfactant; contains PEG, control microbial load.
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Strong base neutralizer for pH adjustment; handle with extreme care
- Phenoxyethanol
- Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin
- Methylbromo Glutaronitrile
- Not decoded yet
- Fragrance
- Fragrance; concentration must control allergen risk, label specific components
- Tetrasodium Edta
- Chelator removing metal ions to enhance antioxidant and preservative efficacy; very low usage, typically 0.05-0.1%, no direct skincare function.
Source: full ingredient list published on the product label, collected 2026-09-19. Ratings are our internal reading, not a regulatory conclusion. · Product page
Want to build one like this? Send an enquiry