What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf Extract
EmollientPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantVaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract
Astringent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentLentinus Edodes Extract
Skin ConditioningEriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Octyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingSasa Quelpaertensis Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Acorus Gramineus Extract
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Fullerenes
AntimicrobialPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Lentinus Edodes Extract, Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Octyldodeceth-16, Sasa Quelpaertensis Extract, Arginine, Acorus Gramineus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pvp, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Adenosine, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Fullerenes, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citronellol, Geraniol
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
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 GlycolCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractCarbomer 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 CarbomerCitronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil is the pressed oil of the Rose Geranium plant. It is volatile, meaning it evaporates off the skin.
Fragrant components of Rose Geranium include citronellol and geraniol. These may cause allergies and skin-sensitivity. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
The scent of Rose Geranium closely resembles traditional roses.
Learn more about Pelargonium Graveolens Flower OilPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateSodium 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
