This pore-care ampoule is formulated around Retinol and Niacinamide to refine the look of pores and refine skin texture.
This acne ampoule is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water to clear breakouts and calm redness.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Pueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycereth-26, Polyglycerin-3, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Retinol
Centella Asiatica Extract 55%
Cleansing
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water
MaskingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water 9.4%
Antimicrobial
Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract 55%, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water 9.4%, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Water, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Reviews
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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycereth-26 is a synthetic ingredient and polyethylene glycol ether of Glycerin. Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps keep your skin moisturized.
It is a humectant and helps add texture to products. It can make your product thicker.
As a humectant, it helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps your skin stay hydrated.
Learn more about Glycereth-26Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneWe don't have a description for Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract yet.
We don't have a description for Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract yet.
Polyglyceryl-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.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateThis ingredient comes from the Kudzu root.
This tree is also known as the David Elm. It contains the ingredient bakuchiol.
Other great compounds found in this ingredient include galactose, glucose, and phenolics. The sugar content gives it great skin hydrating properties. Phenolics are potent antioxidants commonly found in fruits and veggies.
A 2020 study found the phenolics of this root to have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Fun fact: This ingredient is used in traditional Asian medicine.
Learn more about Ulmus Davidiana Root ExtractWater. 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
