This acne serum is formulated around Propolis Extract and Niacinamide to clear breakouts and brighten dull-looking skin.
This calming essence is formulated around Houttuynia Cordata Extract and Sodium Hyaluronate to calm redness and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Antioxidant
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lotus Corniculatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCalophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Betaine Salicylate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Octanediol
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropolis Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Lotus Corniculatus Seed Extract, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Betaine Salicylate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dextrin, Pentylene Glycol, Octanediol, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingMentha Aquatica Extract
TonicSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Succinic Acid
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHouttuynia Cordata Extract, Glycerin, Water, Methylpropanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Mentha Aquatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Panthenol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Succinic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolGlycerin (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 HyaluronateTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
