What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Arginine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Allantoin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
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 ExtractDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateDisodium 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateWater. 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
