What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlumina
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarrageenan
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Vitis Vinifera Oil
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Punica Granatum Seed Oil
Emollient
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Epilobium Angustifolium Extract
Skin ConditioningPichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Alumina, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Carrageenan, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ubiquinone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Oil, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningAlumina
Abrasive
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Menthone Glycerin Acetal
Refreshing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Oxide
AbsorbentPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Alumina, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Lactic Acid, Parfum, Menthone Glycerin Acetal, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citral, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alumina is another name for the compound aluminum oxide. It is a white powder used as a thickener, absorbent, and abrasive.
As an absorbent, alumina can give a mattifying effect. It is used in mineral sunscreens to help coat nano-sized filters, such as titanium dioxide. By increasing the size of the UV filters, these ingredients stay on the skin for a longer time. By coating small sized ingredients, alumina helps thicken a product.
Alumina may be used as an abrasive, or exfoliant.
Alumina is naturally occurring in the mineral corundum. Certain varieties of corundum create rubies and sapphires. Corundum is also the crystalline form of alumina.
Learn more about AluminaCamellia 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 ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
