What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCanola Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
PEG-8 Isostearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Malpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Morus Alba Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Avium Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Leontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Iris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialCetyl Ethylhexanoate, Canola Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, PEG-8 Isostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Malpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Prunus Avium Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCanola Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
PEG-8 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningMalpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Morus Alba Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Avium Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Leontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Canola Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, PEG-8 Isostearate, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Water, Malpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Prunus Avium Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is an extract of the leaves of the aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Liliaceae.
Aloe is one of the most well-known natural soothing ingredients, and for good reason. It’s full of water and has a cooling, calming effect on the skin, especially when it’s sunburned, itchy, or irritated. Aloe also helps your skin stay hydrated and smooth by mimicking what healthy skin naturally produces. On top of that, it contains vitamins and nutrients that support skin recovery.Â
It doesn’t protect you from the sun, but it can help your skin bounce back after too much time in it.
Let’s get into the details:
Aloe contains antioxidant Vitamins A, C, and E, which help fight off free radicals (unstable molecules from things like pollution that can damage your skin).
It’s also rich in polysaccharides, which are natural sugars that help hydrate the skin by acting like the skin’s own moisturizing agents. These, along with other sugars like monosaccharides, help form a protective barrier that locks in moisture.
Aloe works as both a humectant and an emollient. That means it draws water into the skin (humectant) and helps trap it there (emollient), making it an effective natural moisturizer.
You’ll also find a mix of other skin-supporting ingredients in aloe, including folic acid, choline, calcium, amino acids, fatty acids, and even Vitamin B12.
Out of the 420+ species of aloe, Aloe barbadensis is the most widely used in skincare products thanks to its gentle yet effective properties.
There are over 420 species of aloe but Aloe Barbadensis is the most commonly used for topical products.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractCamellia Japonica Seed Oil comes from the Japanese Camellia plant. This plant is native to East Asia and known as "Tsubaki" in Japanese.
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil is rich in oleic acid. This makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe the skin by forming a barrier. This barrier traps moisture within, keeping your skin hydated.
Camellia 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 ExtractCanola Oil is a plant-oil and low-erucic-acid variety of rapeseed. Like other seed oils, it functions as an emollient that softens skin and slows water loss.
Its fatty acid profile is mostly linoleic acid (55-65%) with some oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. There are also some small amounts of vitamin E and plant sterols.
The sterol content is pretty interesting:
In a controlled human study, a single application of canola oil and especially its sterol-enriched fraction reduced visible irritation, redness, and water loss caused by SLS. Plain canola oil and most other tested oils did little on healthy, un-irritated skin.
It's pretty much just a calm, moisturizing oil that helps with soothing if your skin is already irritated.
Since canola oil is made up of C18 fatty acids, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on chain lengths C11-24.
Fun fact: Canadian growers bred the low-erucic variety in the 1970's, and the name stands for "Canadian oil, Low Acid").
Learn more about Canola OilCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
This extract comes from the Cabbage Palm, AKA the Açaà berry! It has skin soothing and antioxidant properties.
Acai berries are rich in antioxidants, including ferulic acid (The famous vitamin C stabilizer). Antioxidants protect your skin against damaging free-radical molecules.
You can also find carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, minerals, vitamin A, and Vitamin C in these berries.
Learn more about Euterpe Oleracea Fruit ExtractWe don't have a description for Leontopodium Alpinum Extract yet.
This ingredient is also known as acerola or barbados cherry. It is rich in antioxidants and polysaccharides, giving it skin protecting and hydrating properties.
Melaleuca 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 ExtractMorus Alba Fruit Extract is an antioxidant.
PEG-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 TriisostearatePEG-8 Isostearate isn't fungal acne safe.
This ingredient is also known as sweet cherry extract. It has skin conditioning properties.
Sweet cherries contain antioxidants in the form of polyphenols, anthocyanins, and vitamin C related compounds.
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil is a non-fragrant plant oil that has earned its skincare reputation through chemistry.
It's dominated by fatty acids like linoleic acid (~35-55%), alpha-linolenic acid (~17-27%), and oleic acid (~14-22%). This is the exact profile that supports skin barrier, locks in hydration, and calms inflammation.
A 2024 review found evidence for the Rosa canina species supports its use for scarring, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and atopic dermatitis; this was mostly credited to its vitamin C content and fatty acid composition as the primary active mechanisms.
You might see this ingredient marketed as a "natural retinol". Some rosehip seed oils contains traces of all-trans-retinoic acid but these trace amounts are far below biologically active levels.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has deemed this ingredient safe and it's well-tolerated.
Fungal acne: The fatty acids of this oil fall into the C11-24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Rosa Canina Fruit OilSodium 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 HyaluronateThis extract comes from the blueberry native to North America. It has great antioxidant and skin soothing properties.
The antioxidant properties from blueberries come from its polyphenolic and vitamin C content. Polyphenols are a compound famous for their antioxidant properties and are commonly found in fruits.
A 2023 study found blueberries to protect skin from UV-B related inflammation. However, this ingredient should not replace your sunscreen.
Learn more about Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit ExtractVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract comes from grapes.
Grape extract has many skin benefits. It also contains many potent antioxidants such as Vitamin E , Vitamin C, proanthocyanidins, polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Antioxidants help protect skin. Proanthocyanidin have also been shown to help even out skin tone.
Grape extract also helps soothe and hydrate your skin.
Learn more about Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
