What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingXylitylglucoside
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantHoney Extract
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSarcosine
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingXylitol
HumectantLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
PerfumingPropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Phytate
Boswellia Serrata Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningElettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract
PerfumingPistacia Lentiscus Gum
MaskingMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Propolis Extract, Glycerin, Sodium Lactate, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anhydroxylitol, Honey Extract, Beta-Glucan, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sarcosine, Lactic Acid, Xylitol, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Propylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Pistacia Lentiscus Gum, Magnesium Aspartate, Potassium Aspartate
Propolis Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingWater
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSilica
AbrasivePolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPerilla Frutescens Leaf Extract
MaskingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningCommiphora Myrrha Resin Extract
Skin ConditioningYucca Schidigera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPropolis Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycosyl Trehalose, Water, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Silica, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Pentylene Glycol, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract, Yucca Schidigera Root Extract
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 ExtractCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropolis Extract is a natural ingredient derived from propolis (also known as bee glue). Bees make propolis by mixing their saliva and beeswax with resins collected from tree buds and plants.
This ingredient is packed with bioactive compounds like flavonoids, phenolic acids, and amino acids that give it antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Research shows it can help:
It also pairs nicely with hydrating ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides.
Just so you know, Propolis Extract is recognized as a contact allergen. In patch tests done in the EU, roughly 1-6% of patients react to it. Be sure to steer clear of this ingredient if you have a known allergy to bee products.
Since it is an animal-derived product, this ingredient is not considered vegan. For vegan alternatives, check out Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate or Centella Asiatica Extract.
Learn more about Propolis ExtractWater. 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