What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Torreya Nucifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-240/Hdi Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether
StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientRosa Centifolia Flower Extract
Astringent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Dextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Orchid Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Unshiu Peel Extract
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Torreya Nucifera Seed Oil, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, PEG-240/Hdi Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether, Polysorbate 20, Propanediol, Salicylic Acid, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Madecassoside, Glyceryl Caprylate, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Beta-Glucan, Orchid Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Water, Lactic Acid, Propanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Acer Saccharum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Ascorbyl Glucoside
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 ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
