What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaffeine
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingLactic Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Germ Extract
EmollientTriticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialGlycine
BufferingLarix Europaea Wood Extract
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
HumectantScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingArctium Majus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialZinc Chloride
AntimicrobialApigenin
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningBiotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Citric Acid
BufferingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caffeine, Arginine, Lactic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glycine, Larix Europaea Wood Extract, Gluconolactone, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Arctium Majus Root Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Zinc Chloride, Apigenin, Tocopherol, Oleanolic Acid, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Citric Acid, Calcium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialDiaminopyrimidine Oxide
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPiroctone Olamine
PreservativeCaffeine
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingNiacinamide
SmoothingPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingSafflower Glucoside
Benzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingXylitylglucoside
HumectantCitronellol
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingResveratrol
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
MaskingWater, Alcohol Denat., Diaminopyrimidine Oxide, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Citric Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Piroctone Olamine, Caffeine, Arginine, Limonene, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hcl, Linalool, Safflower Glucoside, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Citral, Benzyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Citronellol, Benzyl Benzoate, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Resveratrol, Tocopherol, Sodium Citrate, 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.
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 ArginineBenzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCaffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCitric 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 AcidPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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