What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract 32.2%
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bentonite
Absorbent
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Apium Graveolens Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Rapa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentEnantia Chlorantha Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Artemisia Montana Leaf Powder
Exfoliating
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingArtemisia Vulgaris Oil
Perfuming
Sodium Nitrate
SoothingArtemisia Princeps Leaf Extract 32.2%, Water, Kaolin, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bentonite, Sorbitan Olivate, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Apium Graveolens Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Brassica Rapa Leaf Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Oleanolic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Artemisia Montana Leaf Powder, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Tocopherol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Sodium Nitrate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientBetaine
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder
Abrasive
Rosa Rugosa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Kaolin, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Glyceryl Caprylate, Betaine, Palmitic Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder, Rosa Rugosa Flower Extract, Glycolic Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Boswellia Carterii Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
