What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Cocamide Dipa
Emulsifying
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Sodium Laurylglucosides Hydroxypropylsulfonate, Glycerin, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Stearyl Alcohol, Decyl Glucoside, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Cocamide Dipa, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Carbomer, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingMethylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sea Water
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract
AstringentCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientQuillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Phytate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantWater, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Sea Water, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Decyl Glucoside, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Salicylic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Sodium Citrate, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycereth-26, Propanediol, Sodium Phytate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, 2,3-Butanediol
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 ExtractDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is below the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinSalix Alba Bark Extract comes from the bark of the white willow tree. The official CosIng listing states this ingredient to have astringent, skin conditioning, soothing, and tonic properties.
Its star compound is salicin, a natural glucoside that is chemically related to salicylic acid. That's why you'll often see it marketed as a "natural BHA alternative" but that's a bit of a stretch.
Your skin can't convert salicin to salicylic acid because it needs specific enzymes that aren't present on the skin's surface. It won't behave like true salicylic acid, especially at the concentrations used in cosmetics.
However, this ingredient has its own perks. It contains flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins that give it proven antioxidant and soothing properties.
An 8-week clinical study found a cream with 2% of this extract improved skin microcirculation, elasticity, and dark circles. This is most likely due to its role in increasing hyaluronic acid synthesis in fibroblasts and improved vascular integrity.
Another study found a topical serum with 0.5% salicin showed improvements in visible signs of aging, hyperpigmentation, and texture.
Just be careful if you have a known aspirin/salicylate allergy and be sure to consult with a medical professional about using this ingredient if you do.
Fun fact: Willow Bark extract has been used for thousands of years and ancient civilizations used white willow to help treat pain and fevers.
Learn more about Salix Alba Bark 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
