What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sageretia Thea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Turnera Diffusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Leucine
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenylalanine
Masking
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Methionine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicValine
MaskingSerine
Masking
Taurine
BufferingHistidine
Humectant
Ornithine
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract, Water, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caffeine, Panthenol, Arginine, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Sageretia Thea Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Turnera Diffusa Leaf Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leucine, Citric Acid, Phenylalanine, Isoleucine, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Methionine, Proline, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Biotin, Valine, Serine, Taurine, Histidine, Ornithine
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17
Skin Conditioning
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Glycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Larix Europaea Wood Extract
HumectantTrifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Dextran
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Zinc Chloride
AntimicrobialHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Caffeine, Panthenol, Arginine, Glycine, Glycoproteins, Larix Europaea Wood Extract, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dextran, Maltodextrin, Zinc Chloride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Metabisulfite, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene 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 GlycolCaffeine 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 GlycerinGlycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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
