What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acorus Calamus Root Extract
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Triethylhexanoin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Parfum, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Linalool, Limonene, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Water, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acorus Calamus Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-10
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Root Extract
Perfuming
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Capric Acid
Cleansing
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Water, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyquaternium-10, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Panthenol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Capric Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Allantoin
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.
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
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCamellia 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 ExtractCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that 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. Just 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.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilWater. 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
