What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMica
Cosmetic ColorantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-8
Skin Conditioning
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Gluconolactone, Lactobionic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Mica, Panthenol, Caprylyl Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Bisabolol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-11, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-8
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVanillin
Masking
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentSodium Sulfite
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Morus Bombycis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Heliotropine
Masking
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Vanillin, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Hydroxide, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Morus Bombycis Root Extract, Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate, Heliotropine, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Water, Alcohol Denat.
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 ExtractDisodium 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 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
