What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingSorbitol
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantFructose
HumectantUrea
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMaltose
MaskingSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lactate
BufferingTrehalose
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlucose
HumectantLactose
HumectantHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingJojoba Esters
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantUltramarines
Parfum
MaskingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sorbitol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Fructose, Urea, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Maltose, Sodium PCA, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lactate, Trehalose, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucose, Lactose, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Jojoba Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ultramarines, Parfum, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPalmitic Acid
EmollientLauric Acid
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingGlycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Capric Acid
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningLilium Tigrinum Root Extract
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Niacinamide
SmoothingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantPyridoxine
Skin ConditioningFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningThiamine Hcl
MaskingBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningRiboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantLinoleic Acid
CleansingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Beeswax, Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-10, Capric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Lilium Tigrinum Root Extract, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Pyridoxine, Folic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Biotin, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Cyanocobalamin, Potassium Hyaluronate, Thiamine Hcl, Beta-Carotene, Riboflavin, Linoleic Acid, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 ExtractCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” 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 ParfumSodium 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