This hydrating emulsion is formulated around Centella Asiatica Extract and Panax Ginseng Root Extract to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Tocopherol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentHumulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Coumarin
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientMethyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ribes Rubrum Fruit Extract
TonicRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Methyl Gluceth-20, Pentylene Glycol, Silica, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Benzoic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Ribes Rubrum Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzoic Acid is an organic acid that shows up in cosmetics as a preservative. It helps keep a product from spoiling by holding back the growth of yeast, mold, and some bacteria.
This ingredient also functions as a fragrance ingredient that helps mask the unpleasant scent of other ingredients.
The way it works is worth understanding; benzoic acid works when the formula is acidic. It is able to sneak into a microbe's cell and mess up how it functions to stop it from growing in an acidic product.
However, the acid switches to an inactive form and stops working if a product isn't acidic enough (above ~5 pH). This is why you'll often see it in low pH products or teamed up with other preservatives to cover the gap.
Safety wise, it's one of the better studied preservatives out there.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
A large international review found this ingredient had no effects on the human body and had low irritation potential.
Just so you know, real world use is usually much lower than the 5% ceiling (usually 1% of less).
The EU caps it at 2.5% in rinse-off products, 1.7% in oral care, and 0.5% in leave-on products.
One thing worth mentioning (it's nothing to worry about): some people get a little stinging or flushing where they apply it. This isn't a true allergy; it's a temporary and harmless reaction. This is the same kind of mild tingle you might notice from sorbic acid.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumParfum 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 ParfumSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
