What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Acrylates/Palmeth-25 Acrylate Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialQuillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Acrylates/Palmeth-25 Acrylate Copolymer, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Sorbitol, Sodium Lactate, Proline, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Damascena Extract
MaskingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycol Distearate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium PCA, Saccharide Isomerate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Levulinate, Squalane, Sodium Phytate, Decyl Glucoside, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Rosa Damascena Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 ExtractCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
Decyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinPyrus Malus Fruit Extract is extract from Apples. Apples are rich in Vitamin C, sugars, and antioxidants.
The sugar in Apples are humectants and help hydrate the skin. On top of that, apples also contain some acids, such as malic acid. These acids may have a mild exfoliating effect.
Last, the phytochemicals found in apples are strong antioxidants. These antioxidants help with anti-aging as they protect your skin cells against oxidative damage.
Learn more about Pyrus Malus Fruit ExtractThis is a botanical extract from the rosemary plant (the same one you cook with). In skincare, it mostly works as a skin conditioning agent.
Its activity comes from a handful of polyphenols, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. Almost 90% of the antioxidant activity of this ingredient can be attributed to canosol and carnosic acid.
These compounds protect your skin two ways:
1) They fight off free radicals, or the unstable molecules from things like sun and pollution that age and damage skin.
2) They help calm inflammation by switching off the chemical signals that tell skin to get red and irritated.
Lab studies also suggest that rosmarinic acid may help protect collagen and slow sugar-related damage to it.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.
Rosemary can occasionally cause allergic contact dermatitis (due to carnosol), so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or fragrance-sensitive skin.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate is a cleansing ingredient. It is a surfactant, meaning it helps gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants. This helps them be rinsed away easily.
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCATocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about Tocopherol
