What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ocimum Basilicum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingUndecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Carbonate
BufferingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Glycereth-26, Cetearyl Glucoside, Carbomer, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Capryloyl Glycine, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Octyldodecanol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Carbonate
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Morus Bombycis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
PEG-20
HumectantPEG-150
HumectantPalmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Morus Bombycis Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, PEG-20, PEG-150, Palmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Mica, CI 77891
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 ExtractDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
