What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
PEG-10 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Water
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAnthemis Nobilis Flower Water
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract
HumectantAspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Archangelica Root Extract
Masking
Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningPolydiethyleneglycol Adipate/Ipdi Copolymer
Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Acrylates/Methoxy PEG-15 Methacrylate Copolymer
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, PEG-10 Isostearate, Synthetic Wax, Water, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Glycerin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Angelica Archangelica Root Extract, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Zea Mays Oil, Beta-Carotene, Polydiethyleneglycol Adipate/Ipdi Copolymer, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Acrylates/Methoxy PEG-15 Methacrylate Copolymer, Tocopherol
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Linoleate
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningCanarium Luzonicum Gum Nonvolatiles
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Camellia Kissi Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientRhus Semialata Gall Extract
Skin ConditioningOxygen
Skin ConditioningNelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Triethylhexanoin, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Water, Canarium Luzonicum Gum Nonvolatiles, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Gluconolactone, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Squalane, Camellia Kissi Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Allantoin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Rhus Semialata Gall Extract, Oxygen, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Pentylene Glycol
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 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 ExtractCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate is a synthetic, oil-loving helper ingredient that does two jobs:
This ingredient is made by joining three building blocks: PEG, Isostearic Acid and glycerin. The PEG gives it the oil-and-water blending power.
This ingredient has been found safe for use in cosmetics and broader PEG family testing shows minimal irritation/sensitization. The molecule's large size also means it isn't expected to penetrate skin to any meaningful degree.
Fungal acne note: This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to isostearic acid (C18). Isostearic acid falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about PEG-20 Glyceryl TriisostearateWater. 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
