What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Fructose
Humectant
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Brassica Alba Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Oligopeptide-195
Oligopeptide-196
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-197
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-198
Oligopeptide-199
Oligopeptide-6
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycol Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Inulin, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Phospholipids, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Phytate, Glycine Soja Oil, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Fructose, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Sterols, Maltodextrin, Trehalose, Sodium Citrate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Adenosine, Cyclodextrin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Arginine, Brassica Alba Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oligopeptide-195, Oligopeptide-196, Oligopeptide-197, Oligopeptide-198, Oligopeptide-199, Oligopeptide-6
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCarrageenan
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alanyl Glutamine
HumectantArginine
Masking
Oligopeptide-177
Phenylalanine
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Coco-Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Carrageenan, Coconut Acid, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Maltodextrin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Oligopeptide-177, Phenylalanine, Potassium Sorbate, Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineCamellia 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 AcidGlycerin (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 OilMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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 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
