What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pearl Extract
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Morus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Pearl Extract, Betaine, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Triethanolamine, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Trehalose
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Pearl Extract
Antioxidant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Geranium Maculatum Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Carbomer, Arginine, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Trehalose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Pearl Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Reviews
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 ExtractCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium 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 GlycerinPearl Extract comes from, well, pearls. Pearls are harvested from oysters.
Pearls are rich in amino-acids, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and antioxidant compounds.
Two antioxidants found in pearls include: superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione. Antioxidants aid in reducing the signs of aging.
Studies show pearls can aid in wound healing.
Pearls are harvested from oysters. To be vegan, an ingredient cannot be from an animal source.
Learn more about Pearl ExtractSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
