What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Polyester-5
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Tuber Melanosporum Extract
HumectantZinc PCA
Humectant
Cordyceps Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientLespedeza Capitata Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Tinctorium Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Collybia Mushroom Extract
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Polyester-5, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tuber Melanosporum Extract, Zinc PCA, Cordyceps Sinensis Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Lespedeza Capitata Leaf/Stem Extract, Polygonum Tinctorium Leaf/Stem Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Collybia Mushroom Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyester-5
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylpropanediol
SolventVp/Va Copolymer
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Starch
Glyceryl Caprylate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Rosa Damascena Flower Extract
Masking
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Troxerutin
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Polyacrylate-21
Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Artemisia Argyi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Acrylates/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Medicago Sativa Extract
TonicGentiana Scabra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantCholesterol
Emollient
C11-15 Pareth-40
CleansingC11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Laureth-12 Sulfate
Cleansing
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Nitrogen
Water, Polyester-5, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylpropanediol, Vp/Va Copolymer, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Parfum, Hydroxypropyl Starch, Glyceryl Caprylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Troxerutin, Allantoin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Centella Asiatica Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Zinc PCA, Caffeine, Cyclodextrin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Polyacrylate-21, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Artemisia Argyi Leaf Extract, Octyldodecanol, Acrylates/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Ceramide NP, Medicago Sativa Extract, Gentiana Scabra Root Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Polyglutamate, Cholesterol, C11-15 Pareth-40, C11-15 Pareth-7, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Laureth-12 Sulfate, Potassium Sorbate, Nitrogen
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Centella 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 ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
We don't have a description for Polyester-5 yet.
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 WaterZinc PCA (or "zinc salt") differs slightly from zinc itself. PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. However, Zinc PCA comes from zinc.
It can help reduce redness, regulate sebum, and promote the general healing process of the skin.
Zinc PCA tends to be especially useful for those with oily, acne-prone skin. It's certainly an ingredient worth trying out!
Learn more about Zinc PCA
