What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Bambusa Vulgaris Sap Extract
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Algae Extract
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingNonoxynol-14
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Sap Extract, Polysorbate 80, Algae Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Nonoxynol-14, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingNonoxynol-14
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Polysorbate 80, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Nonoxynol-14, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
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 ExtractDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose 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 HydroxyethylcelluloseParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPolysorbate 80 is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is used to keep ingredients together, and prevent oils and waters from separating.
It is made from polyethoxylated sorbitan and oleic acid. This ingredient can be found in cosmetics, foods, and medicine. It is water-soluble.
Polysorbate 80 may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 80Pulsatilla Koreana Extract comes from the Korean pasque flower. This flower is used in traditional Korean medicine.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateWe don't have a description for Usnea Barbata Extract yet.
Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract comes from the Japanese Pepper, also known as the Prickly Ash. This plant is native to the Korean peninsula and Japan.
The pepper has antioxidant properties. It may help reduce the signs of aging.
For those with fragrance sensitivities, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract contains limonene.
If you have concerns, we recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient.
The Japanese Pepper is related to the Sichuan Pepper.
Learn more about Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit ExtractNonoxynol-14 reduces the surface tension of substances to emulsify, or dissolve ingredients into others.
