What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Swiftlet Nest Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Swiftlet Nest Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Betaine, Tocopherol, Lauryl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Arginine, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Oleamide Mea
Methylbenzyl Methylbenzimidazole Piperidinylmethanone
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate
Emulsifying
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Phytosterols, Stearic Acid, Oleamide Mea, Methylbenzyl Methylbenzimidazole Piperidinylmethanone, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Arginine
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineBeta-Glucan is a polysaccharide. It can be derived from the cell walls of seaweed, oats, yeast, and fungi. It hydrates the skin and helps boost your skin's natural barrier.
As an antioxidant, beta-glucan helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Studies show this ingredient may be an effective wrinkle reducer as it can deeply penetrate into skin. It has also been show to help with wound healing.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
