What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Morus Alba Root Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Grandis Extract
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
Smoothing
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Wild Berry Extract
Lentinus Edodes Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Essential Oil Blend
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Masking
Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Masking
Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed
Perfuming
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Morus Alba Root Water, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Rice Ferment Filtrate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Extract, Niacinamide, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Wild Berry Extract, Lentinus Edodes Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Essential Oil Blend, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water
AntimicrobialHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Glycerin
Humectant
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Melia Azadirachta Leaf
Skin ConditioningPetroselinum Crispum Leaf Oil
Masking
Arctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Mahonia Aquifolium Root Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glycerin, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf, Petroselinum Crispum Leaf Oil, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Mahonia Aquifolium Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinHamamelis Virginiana Water is made by distilling parts of the witch hazel plant. You can also call this ingredient "witch hazel water".
The name 'Hamamelis Virginiana Water' refers to the distillation product used in cosmetics. On the other hand, 'Witch Hazel' refers to the active drug ingredient.
Unless it is specified to be non-alcohol, many types of witch hazel ingredients are distilled in denatured alcohol.
Witch Hazel water is an astringent, anti-inflammatory antioxidant, and antibacterial ingredient.
It contains tannins. Tannins have a drying effect when used on skin by constricting proteins. The constriction also minimizes the appearance of pores.
Both the tannins and fragrance found in witch hazel may be skin-sensitizing.
Witch hazel water gets anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties from its catechin and gallic acid content.
Indigenous groups have used witch hazel to help treat inflammation in North America for centuries.
Learn more about Hamamelis Virginiana WaterLonicera Japonica Flower Extract comes from the honeysuckle flower.
Honeysuckles have skin protecting, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains many antioxidants, such as luteolin, caffeic acid, loniflavone, and chlorogenic acids.
This honeysuckle is native to East Asia and used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fever and inflammation.
Learn more about Lonicera Japonica Flower ExtractSalix Alba Bark Extract comes from the bark of the white willow tree. The official CosIng listing states this ingredient to have astringent, skin conditioning, soothing, and tonic properties.
Its star compound is salicin, a natural glucoside that is chemically related to salicylic acid. That's why you'll often see it marketed as a "natural BHA alternative" but that's a bit of a stretch.
Your skin can't convert salicin to salicylic acid because it needs specific enzymes that aren't present on the skin's surface. It won't behave like true salicylic acid, especially at the concentrations used in cosmetics.
However, this ingredient has its own perks. It contains flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins that give it proven antioxidant and soothing properties.
An 8-week clinical study found a cream with 2% of this extract improved skin microcirculation, elasticity, and dark circles. This is most likely due to its role in increasing hyaluronic acid synthesis in fibroblasts and improved vascular integrity.
Another study found a topical serum with 0.5% salicin showed improvements in visible signs of aging, hyperpigmentation, and texture.
Just be careful if you have a known aspirin/salicylate allergy and be sure to consult with a medical professional about using this ingredient if you do.
Fun fact: Willow Bark extract has been used for thousands of years and ancient civilizations used white willow to help treat pain and fevers.
Learn more about Salix Alba Bark ExtractSodium 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 Hyaluronate
