What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Pantolactone
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Allantoin, Betaine, Panthenol, Polysorbate 60, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Isostearate, Myristyl Alcohol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lauryl Alcohol, Pantolactone, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethoxydiglycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Tocopherol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Caprylate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis 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 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
