What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Cellulose
Absorbent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Polyglyceryl-10 Behenate/Eicosadioate
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hordeum Distichon Extract
Skin ProtectingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Saccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Mume Fruit Extract
Humectant
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningIllicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Squalane
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Hydrated Silica, Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lactic Acid, Cellulose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Polyglyceryl-10 Behenate/Eicosadioate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Gluconolactone, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract, Stearic Acid, Saccharomyces/Imperata Cylindrica Root Ferment Extract, Tromethamine, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Squalane, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSucrose
Humectant
Coffea Arabica Seed Powder
Abrasive
Methylpropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Cellulose Acetate
Diglycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Quartz
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin, Water, Sucrose, Coffea Arabica Seed Powder, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Cellulose Acetate, Diglycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Quartz, Tocopherol, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
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 ExtractEthylhexylglycerin 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 HyaluronateTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
