Facial Treatment
Essence
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What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Water

Skin Conditioning

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)

Emollient

Polyglycerin-3

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Propanediol

Solvent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Dimethicone

Emollient
1 / 0 Silicon IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Niacinamide

Smoothing
Niacinamide IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Methylpropanediol

Solvent

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

Emollient
3 / 0 Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment

Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment

Skin Conditioning
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Antimicrobial
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Tremella Fuciformis Extract

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Haematococcus Pluvialis Oil

Antioxidant
Oil IconAntioxidant Icon

Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract

Astringent

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate

Emulsifying
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Emulsion Stabilising
Silicon Icon

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Sodium Polyacrylate

Absorbent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Emulsifying
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning
Good for Barrier Repair Icon

Tromethamine

Buffering

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Adenosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Palmitic Acid

Emollient
2 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Stearic Acid

Cleansing
2-3 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Phytate

Cholesterol

Emollient
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Nicotinamide Mononucleotide

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Adenosine Triphosphate

Skin Conditioning

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Masking

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide

Skin Conditioning

Beta-Glucan

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Tocopherol

Antioxidant
0-3 / 0-3 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Copper Gluconate

Skin Conditioning
Good for Scar Healing Icon

Resveratrol

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Capryloyl Dipeptide-17

Emollient
Peptide Icon

Thioctic Acid

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Glutathione

Helps brighten skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Potassium Hydroxide

Buffering

Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Sorbitan Laurate

Emulsifying
1-2 / 1-2 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Steareth-20

Cleansing
2 / 1

Astaxanthin

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Sodium Lactate

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Emulsion Stabilising

Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Panthenol

Skin Conditioning
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Polysorbate 20

Emulsifying
0 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Citrate

Buffering

Dextran

Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hexapeptide-2

Bleaching
Peptide Icon

Magnesium Chloride

Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate

Skin Conditioning

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5

Humectant
Peptide Icon

Dipeptide-2

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Humectant
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Biotin

Antiseborrhoeic

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1

Peptide Icon

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3

Skin Protecting
Peptide Icon

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Dipeptide-4

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Hexapeptide-11

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Pentapeptide-18

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Tripeptide-3

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Sh-Decapeptide-7

Antioxidant
Peptide IconAntioxidant Icon

Sh-Octapeptide-4

Antioxidant
Peptide IconAntioxidant Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide

Antioxidant
Vitamin C IconPeptide IconAntioxidant IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Hexapeptide-9

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Oligopeptide-3

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Tripeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Ubiquinone

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Copper Tripeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Caffeoyl Tripeptide-1

Antioxidant
Peptide IconAntioxidant Icon

Caffeoyl Sh-Octapeptide-4

Antioxidant
Peptide IconAntioxidant Icon

Galloyl Pentapeptide-33

Antioxidant
Peptide IconAntioxidant Icon

Kojyl Carboxy Dipeptide-23

Antioxidant
Peptide IconAntioxidant Icon

Nicotinoyl Tripeptide-1

Antioxidant
Peptide IconAntioxidant Icon

Octapeptide-7

Skin Protecting
Peptide Icon

Oligopeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Sh-Decapeptide-9

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Sh-Oligopeptide-9

Humectant
Peptide Icon

Sh-Pentapeptide-19

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Asparagine

Masking

Glutamine

Skin Conditioning

Tryptophan

Masking

Oligopeptide-2

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Sh-Polypeptide-22

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Sh-Polypeptide-3

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Humectant
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Carnosine

Skin Conditioning
Helps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Nonapeptide-1

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Cetearyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 1 Fatty Alcohol IconCoconut Derived IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Chlorhexidine Digluconate

Antimicrobial
Preservative Icon

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Polyglycerin-3, Butylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Methylpropanediol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Oil, Heptasodium Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Cholesterol, Nicotinamide Mononucleotide, Adenosine Triphosphate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Copper Gluconate, Resveratrol, Capryloyl Dipeptide-17, Thioctic Acid, Glutathione, Potassium Hydroxide, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Sorbitan Laurate, Steareth-20, Astaxanthin, Sodium Lactate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Panthenol, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Citrate, Dextran, Hexapeptide-2, Magnesium Chloride, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Dipeptide-2, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Citric Acid, Biotin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Dipeptide-4, Hexapeptide-11, Pentapeptide-18, Tripeptide-3, Sh-Decapeptide-7, Sh-Octapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ascorbic Acid Polypeptide, Hexapeptide-9, Oligopeptide-3, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Ubiquinone, Copper Tripeptide-1, Caffeoyl Tripeptide-1, Caffeoyl Sh-Octapeptide-4, Galloyl Pentapeptide-33, Kojyl Carboxy Dipeptide-23, Nicotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Octapeptide-7, Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Decapeptide-9, Sh-Oligopeptide-9, Sh-Pentapeptide-19, Asparagine, Glutamine, Tryptophan, Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-22, Sh-Polypeptide-3, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Carnosine, Nonapeptide-1, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Potassium Sorbate

Reviews

4.50
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Absorbs Well 100% Great Value 100% Hydrating 100%
5.00
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Absorbs Well 100% Hydrating 100% Light 50%

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

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 Glycol
Emollient, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning

Cholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.

It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.

Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.

Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.

Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.

Learn more about Cholesterol
Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin 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 Ethylhexylglycerin
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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 Glycerin
Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning

Haematococcus Pluvialis Oil is an antioxidant and is an oil.

Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

Learn more about Tocopherol
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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

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