What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlucose
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Propanediol, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Caffeine, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Parfum, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Inulin, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glucose, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningVp/Dmapa Acrylates Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-37
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Helichrysum Italicum Extract
AntiseborrhoeicPhalaenopsis Amabilis Extract
HumectantTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Bambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Glauca Fruit Extract
HumectantMicrocitrus Australasica Fruit Extract
Microcitrus Australis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPleiogynium Timoriense Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPodocarpus Elatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Tyrosine
MaskingArginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Histidine
Humectant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Methionine
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Asparagine
MaskingCysteine
Antioxidant
Glutamine
Skin ConditioningTryptophan
MaskingSodium Lactate
Buffering
PCA
Humectant
Apigenin
Antioxidant
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Jojoba Alcohol
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Jojobate
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polysilicone-15
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Sodium Phytate
BHT
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Benzalkonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Vp/Dmapa Acrylates Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-37, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Helichrysum Italicum Extract, Phalaenopsis Amabilis Extract, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Citrus Glauca Fruit Extract, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Microcitrus Australis Fruit Extract, Pleiogynium Timoriense Fruit Extract, Podocarpus Elatus Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Glutamic Acid, Tyrosine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Histidine, Lysine Hcl, Methionine, Leucine, Sodium PCA, Asparagine, Cysteine, Glutamine, Tryptophan, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Apigenin, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Oleanolic Acid, Glycerin, Jojoba Alcohol, Jojoba Esters, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Ceramide Ng, Isopropyl Jojobate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Lauryl Glucoside, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 60, Polysilicone-15, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Sodium Phytate, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Sorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Benzalkonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Parfum, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol
Reviews
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 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 GlycerinLauryl Glucoside sugar- and lipid-based cleansing agent. It is created from glucose and lauryl alcohol.
This ingredient is a surfactant, making it easier to rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants away.
A British study found lauryl glucoside to cause skin sensitivity for some people. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Other names for this ingredient include "Lauryl Polyglucose", "Lauryl glycoside", and "D-Glucopyranoside".
Learn more about Lauryl GlucosideParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSorbic Acid is a preservative that stops your product from spoiling by stopping microbes from growing.
As a preservative, it's kind of a specialist: it has a broad spectrum of activity against yeast and molds but is weaker against bacteria. That's why it's often paired with another preservative to cover that gap.
This ingredient is also pretty picky about pH; it performs best at pH 6.5 or below.
At the right pH level, sorbic acid is "active" and can slip through the outer wall of a microbe. Once inside, it turns the cell's interior more acidic to shut down the microbe from the inside.
The EU caps this ingredient at 0.6% while the CIR has concluded it's safe at concentrations up to 1%. It's most often used around 0.05-0.2% in cosmetics.
Though this ingredient is considered low-sensitizing and well-tolerated, a very small number of people may have a contact allergy to it. Be sure to patch test if you have a history of allergies towards preservatives.
Learn more about Sorbic AcidWater. 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
