What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPotassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
Acrylates Copolymer
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingParfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Erythritol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCandida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialTetrasodium Etidronate
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Lactobacillus Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Lactobacillus/Milk Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Babassuamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Emollient
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Surfactant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOriganum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Prunella Vulgaris Extract
Antioxidant
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Melilotus Officinalis Extract
AstringentCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningChaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Surfactin
CleansingGlyceryl Linolenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Arachidonate
Emollient
Pyridoxine
Skin ConditioningThiamine Hcl
MaskingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Folic Acid
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Oil
Antimicrobial
Histidine
Humectant
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningValine
MaskingSerine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Ornithine
Skin ConditioningTaurine
BufferingLeucine
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Methionine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningMenadione
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Potassium Cocoate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Potassium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Erythritol, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Lactobacillus Ferment Filtrate, Disodium EDTA, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Lactobacillus/Milk Ferment Filtrate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Babassuamidopropyl Betaine, Ceramide NP, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Coco-Glucoside, Phytosphingosine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Asiaticoside, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Glyceryl Laurate, Coconut Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tocopherol, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Prunella Vulgaris Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Glycolipids, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Melilotus Officinalis Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract, Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Sodium Surfactin, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Arachidonate, Pyridoxine, Thiamine Hcl, Biotin, Retinyl Palmitate, Folic Acid, Centella Asiatica Oil, Histidine, Isoleucine, Valine, Serine, Aspartic Acid, Proline, Arginine, Ornithine, Taurine, Leucine, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Alanine, Cyanocobalamin, Menadione
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Squalane
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Lecithin
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Polysorbate 20, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Glycerin, Beta-Sitosterol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Squalane, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Behenate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Oleic Acid, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Alternatives
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 ExtractCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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
