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
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Betaine
Humectant
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningXylitol
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glucose
Humectant
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Glycol
SolventHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Carbomer, Arginine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Maltodextrin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Betaine, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Limonene, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Xylitol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glucose, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Benzyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Hyaluronic Acid, Triethanolamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCamellia 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 ExtractCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.
Studies show the compounds in centella help with:
The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.
Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
Learn more about Centella Asiatica ExtractEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidSodium 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
