What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantBetaine
Humectant
Lauryl Betaine
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder
Polyquaternium-39
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract
TonicEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment
Humectant
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentSolanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Betaine, Lauryl Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Polyquaternium-39, Allantoin, Pentylene Glycol, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Benzoate, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Beta-Glucan, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamide DEA
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate
Emulsifying
Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingTranexamic Acid
Astringent
Calendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Gluconobacter/Honey Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStreptococcus Thermophilus Ferment
Humectant
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamide DEA, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Tranexamic Acid, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Arbutin, Phenoxyethanol, Gluconobacter/Honey Ferment Filtrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Ethylhexylglycerin, Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Beta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 HyaluronateStreptococcus Thermophilus Ferment is created by fermenting Streptococcus thermophilus, the same lactic acid bacteria used to make yogurt. It has humectant and skin conditioning properties.
A study from 2003 found that applying a cream containing this ingredient to human skin significantly increased ceramide levels in the stratum corneum in just 7 days. This result applied to both healthy volunteers and those with atopic dermatitis.
Ceramides are the lipids that hold your skin barrier together so they play a role in moisture retention and contribute to a stronger barrier.
The cream also improved scaling and itchiness for the group with atopic dermatitis.
How does Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment work? Your skin naturally contains a fatty substance called sphingomyelin. S. thermophilus comes packed with enzymes that snip the sphingomyelin apart and turn it into ceramides.
So it's not adding ceramides from the outside but helping your skin make more of its own.
On top of that, a 2022 lab study found that S. thermophilus extract could calm down the overactive scarring process in skin cells. It tells cells to chill out instead of producing excess scar tissue. There's also some early stage research that hints at possible wound healing perks as well.
Last but not least, the type of ceramides that S. thermophilus creates (phytosphingosine), also happens to fight the bacteria that causes breakouts.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe, but not everyone will react to it.
This is because your skin contains ceramidases that break ceramides down into their components (free sphingosines and fatty acids) which can theoretically be used by Malassezia.
If this ferment can drive ceramide synthesis via sphingomyelin hydrolysis, it could generate the substrate that ceramidases could convert to Malassezia-available fatty acids.
Learn more about Streptococcus Thermophilus FermentWater. 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
