What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Betaine
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Malt Extract
Skin ProtectingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Phellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMorinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Mume Fruit Extract
Humectant
Adenium Obesum Leaf Cell Extract
MaskingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientAloe Arborescens Leaf Extract
MoisturisingCarum Petroselinum Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantAdansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPhyllostachys Nigra Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Gemmifera Extract
AstringentCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningYeast Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Malt Extract, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Adenium Obesum Leaf Cell Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Aloe Arborescens Leaf Extract, Carum Petroselinum Extract, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Phyllostachys Nigra Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Gemmifera Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Yeast Beta-Glucan, Laminaria Japonica Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningC13-16 Isoparaffin
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientHeptyl Undecylenate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Vitis Vinifera
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Glycerin, Diheptyl Succinate, Heptyl Undecylenate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Propanediol, Vitis Vinifera, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bakuchiol, Tocopherol, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Butylene Glycol, Retinol, Allantoin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb 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
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 TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
