What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Coptis Japonica Extract
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
Humectant
Benzophenone-5
UV Absorber
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTartaric Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Tromethamine
BufferingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Coptis Japonica Extract, Butylene Glycol, Benzophenone-5, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Tartaric Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Tromethamine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Olive Oil Lauryl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Coptis Japonica Extract
AntimicrobialTrehalose
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Water, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Lauryl Esters, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Dimethicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Coptis Japonica Extract, Trehalose, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Glucose, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA
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 ExtractWe don't have a description for Coptis Japonica Extract yet.
Disodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinThis ingredient comes from the evergreen flowering plant, gardenia. It has skin conditioning properties.
Glycerin (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 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
