What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantDimethicone
EmollientBetaine
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningViola Tricolor Extract
EmollientElaeis Guineensis Oil
EmollientElaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingZinc PCA
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentCentella Asiatica Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Zinc Oxide, Dimethicone, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Viola Tricolor Extract, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Zinc PCA, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Propolis Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEctoin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantSucrose Distearate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPropolis Extract, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ectoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Sucrose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dipropylene Glycol, Ceramide NP
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 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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
This ingredient is also known as tea tree oil. It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
Tea tree oil is a complex lipophilic (fat-loving) oil that contains around 100 compounds with terpinen-4-ol being the most abundant (~40%).
Terpinen-4-ol is responsible for tea tree oil's broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and makes it a well-researched option for acne.
Clinical studies support 5% tea tree oil as an effective topical treatment for mild to moderate acne. A study with 124 patients compared 5% tea tree oil gel to 5% benzoyl peroxide and both reduced acne (though tea tree oil worked more slowly).
Besides acne, it is also seen in anti-dandruff shampoos and scalp treatments for it's antimicrobial and anti-seborrheic properties.
Safety-wise, the allergic potential of low concentrations on healthy skin is considered low. However, oxidized (old or improperly stored) tea tree oil is a stronger sensitizer.
Irritation can also occur if using the undiluted oil on skin; it's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted cosmetic formula. This is because regulations require tea tree oil in cosmetics to be stabilized to prevent degradation.
This ingredient has been deemed safe up to 2% in shampoo, 1% in cleansers, and 0.1% in face cream by the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS).
There is some lab evidence that tea tree oil is antifungal against Malassezia, but it is a supportive option at best and not a replacement for proven antifungal treatments.
Learn more about Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil