What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract
SmoothingGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sucrose Dilaurate
Emollient
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Pisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Umbelliformis Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Ganoderma Lucidum Extract
Skin Protecting
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Water, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Maltodextrin, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Pisum Sativum Extract, Artemisia Umbelliformis Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Retinol, BHT, Retinyl Palmitate, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Bakuchiol, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Lactic Acid, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Tocopheryl Acetate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ferulic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose
Absorbent
Ethylhexyl Polyhydroxystearate
EmollientResveratrol
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Maltitol
HumectantLeontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract
Antioxidant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xylitol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingO-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentSodium Phytate
Glucose
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alanyl Glutamine
HumectantArginine
Masking
Oligopeptide-177
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil
Masking
Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cellulose, Ethylhexyl Polyhydroxystearate, Resveratrol, Squalane, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Maltitol, Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Lecithin, Anhydroxylitol, Citric Acid, Xylitol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Punica Granatum Extract, Sodium Phytate, Glucose, Xanthan Gum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Oligopeptide-177, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Chloride, Phenylalanine, Sisymbrium Irio 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
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 ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinThis ingredient is a synthetic, salt form polymer built from acrylic acid, ethacrylic acid, or their simple esters. It works as a binder, film former, and viscosity increasing agent.
Typical concentrations start at around 0.5% but can go up to 25% for film-forming or binding.
The CIR Expert Panel assessed the safety of 126 acrylates copolymers and concluded they are safe in cosmetics at current use levels when formulated to be non-irritating. They also noted the levels present in finished cosmetic products are not considered a safety risk and Genotoxicity testing (Ames tests, chromosomal aberration assays) has come back negative across the board.
Though the raw building blocks (like acrylic acid) can be irritating on their own, cosmetic-grade versions go through purification to keep levels extremely low.
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer is a large molecule that doesn't penetrate skin barrier in any meaningful way.
Learn more about Sodium Acrylates CopolymerSodium 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 HydroxideTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
