What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Algin
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Riboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitrus Tangerina Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate, Algin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Allantoin, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Steareth-2, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Glyceryl Laurate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Riboflavin, Xanthan Gum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Physostegia Virginiana Leaf/Stem Extract
AntiseborrhoeicAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Dimethyl Sulfone
SolventHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Physostegia Virginiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Betaine, Proline, Dimethyl Sulfone, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Retinol, Carbomer, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Camellia 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 ExtractEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinSodium 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
