What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
Emulsifying
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Stearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Iron Oxides
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diisostearyl Malate, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Synthetic Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Silica, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Emollient
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Lecithin
Emollient
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-17
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole
Colloidal Platinum
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Mica, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycerin, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Lecithin, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-17, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Colloidal Platinum, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Boron Nitride, Hexylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Reviews
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 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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
