What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid 0.45%
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Silica
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-67
Dextrin
AbsorbentZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentMannitol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Sucrose
Humectant
Gardenia Florida Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetate
BufferingUltramarines
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Melaleuca Viminalis Extract
Flower Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Pueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Citrata Leaf Extract
Astringent
Pinus Pinaster Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Glucoside, Decyl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Salicylic Acid 0.45%, Sodium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Silica, Parfum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-67, Dextrin, Zea Mays Starch, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Mannitol, Disodium EDTA, Sucrose, Gardenia Florida Flower Extract, Sodium Acetate, Ultramarines, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Gluconolactone, Mandelic Acid, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Melaleuca Viminalis Extract, Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Mentha Citrata Leaf Extract, Pinus Pinaster Leaf Extract
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal
Abrasive
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Oryza Sativa Powder
Parfum
Masking
Kaolin
Abrasive
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingDextrin
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract
EmollientArtemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Extract
EmollientHamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Hyssopus Officinalis Extract
MaskingLycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saururus Chinensis Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin, Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Coconut Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Oryza Sativa Powder, Parfum, Kaolin, Sodium Isethionate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Chloride, Dextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Hyssopus Officinalis Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Saururus Chinensis Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
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
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 ExtractThis ingredient is more commonly known as the coffee bean from the Coffea Arabica tree. Besides being a delicious drink, coffee beans have a ton of skin benefits.
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract (CASE) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and UV-protective properties. (It should not replace your sunscreen!)
CASE contains several ingredients that protect and soothe skin. These include caffeine, polysaccharides, sucrose, lipids, minerals, and proteins.
The star ingredient in coffee is caffeine.
Caffeine helps with anti-aging, antioxidant, and photo-protection.
How? It has been shown to block collagenase (~41%), elastase (~35%), and tyrosinase (~13%).
Collagenase and elastase are enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, respectively. Tyrosinase is the enzyme that controls melanin production.
Our skin creates melanin when exposed to UV as a defense mechanism.
It should be noted most studies looked at caffeine's ability to inhibit damage from UV-B rays.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient is often dissolved using water, glycerin, and propanediol. The caffeine content of this ingredient is about 100 ppm.
Coffea Arabica is native to Ethiopia.
Learn more about Coffea Arabica Seed ExtractDextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.
As an emulsifier, dextrin prevents ingredients from separating. This helps elongate a product's shelf life.
Studies show coating UV filters with dextrin prevents these ingredients from being absorbed. This helps UV ingredients last longer on the skin.
Learn more about DextrinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to help thicken a product.
It is also used in foods.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumChances 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 Cocoyl Glycinate is a cleansing agent. It can be naturally derived or synthetically-created.
As a surfactant, it helps clean your skin by gathering dirt, oil, and other pollutants to be rinsed away more easily.
Water. 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
