What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Wheat Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningBrassica Rapa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Humulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Bambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Wheat Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Brassica Rapa Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Ricinoleate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningPereskia Aculeata Callus Extract
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Alanine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Histidine
Humectant
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Tartaric Acid
Buffering
Threonine
Valine
MaskingCocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
Emollient
Gelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingMomordica Cochinchinensis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
PCA
Humectant
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium PCA
Humectant
Vaccinium Myrtillus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropylgluconamide
HumectantEthyl Oleate
Emollient
Polyquaternium-73
Hydroxypropylammonium Gluconate
HumectantEthyl Stearate
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningEthyl Linoleate
Emollient
Ethyl Palmitate
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Steapyrium Chloride
AntimicrobialPolyquaternium-113
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Propanediol, Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Pereskia Aculeata Callus Extract, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Alanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Tartaric Acid, Threonine, Valine, Cocos Nucifera Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Momordica Cochinchinensis Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, PCA, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium PCA, Vaccinium Myrtillus Seed Oil, Hydroxypropylgluconamide, Ethyl Oleate, Polyquaternium-73, Hydroxypropylammonium Gluconate, Ethyl Stearate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Ethyl Linoleate, Ethyl Palmitate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Steapyrium Chloride, Polyquaternium-113, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
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 ExtractCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
While Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil can be volatile due to its fragrant properties, the fragrance components are usually removed in the leaf extract.
Rosemary Leaf Extract contains many antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid. Rosemarinic acid, a compound found in rosemary leaf, has been found to help soothe skin conditions such as eczema and acne.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractWater. 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
