What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningCollagen
Moisturising
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Phytate
Glycerin
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialLactic Acid
Buffering
Water, Propylene Glycol, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, Caffeine, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water, Collagen, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Filtrate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Phytate, Glycerin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol, Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Anisate, Lactic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Bran Extract
Abrasive
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Caffeine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Tromethamine, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
