What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Palm Acid
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract
AstringentSalicylic Acid
Masking
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dextrin
AbsorbentDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Palm Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract, Salicylic Acid, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Glycoproteins, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Dextrin, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Phytate
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Squalane
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Silk Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-10
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Squalane, Betaine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Silk Amino Acids, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Panthenol, Xylitol, Allantoin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-10, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCamellia 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 ExtractCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.
Studies show the compounds in centella help with:
The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.
Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
Learn more about Centella Asiatica 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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidSodium 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 Water
