What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Human Bone Marrow Stem Cell Conditioned Media
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Acmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-37
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Human Bone Marrow Stem Cell Conditioned Media, Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, PEG-8/Smdi Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Polysorbate 20, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-37, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Chlorogenic Acids
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl Lactate
EmollientDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Benzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone
Skin ProtectingArabidopsis Thaliana Extract
Antioxidant
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Extract
BleachingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Buddleja Officinalis Flower Extract
UV FilterCoffea Arabica Leaf Cell Extract
Antioxidant
Crocus Sativus Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ProtectingSuperoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Sea Whip Extract
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingDicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPropanediol Dicaprylate/Caprate
EmollientPolyglycerin-3
Humectant
Ceteth-20 Phosphate
CleansingDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSteareth-2
EmulsifyingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDextran
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Chlorogenic Acids, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Lauryl Lactate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ergothioneine, Benzylidene Dimethoxydimethylindanone, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Carnosine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Buddleja Officinalis Flower Extract, Coffea Arabica Leaf Cell Extract, Crocus Sativus Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Superoxide Dismutase, Ubiquinone, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sea Whip Extract, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Jojoba Esters, Sodium PCA, Pentylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Lecithin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Propanediol Dicaprylate/Caprate, Polyglycerin-3, Ceteth-20 Phosphate, Diisostearyl Malate, Xanthan Gum, Steareth-2, Acacia Senegal Gum, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dextran, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 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 AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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
