What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Betaine
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Agrimonia Eupatoria Extract
AstringentPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Betaine, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Chloride, Coco-Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Decyl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Allantoin, Caffeine, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Agrimonia Eupatoria Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Betaine
Humectant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Humulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialOcimum Tenuiflorum Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Geranium Maculatum Oil
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Water, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Betaine, Glycine Soja Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Chlorphenesin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Ocimum Tenuiflorum Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Allantoin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCamellia 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 ExtractCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract comes from the Tea Tree, Melaleuca alternifolia, Myrtaceae. This tea tree is native to Australia.
Tea Leaf extract contains antimicrobial and anti-acne properties.
This ingredient has perfuming properties and contains linalool and limonene. These fragrance and terpinen components can cause skin sensitivity.
Learn more about the benefits of Tea Tree Oil here.
Learn more about Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf 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
