What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Hordeum Vulgare Leaf Juice
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent
Heptyl Undecylenate
EmollientMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Olivate
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Phoenix Dactylifera Seed Extract
MoisturisingMenyanthes Trifoliata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Stoechas Extract
MaskingNarcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract
Astringent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Arnica Montana Extract
Skin ConditioningBorago Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Helichrysum Italicum Flower Oil
Masking
Jania Rubens Extract
Skin ConditioningMedicago Sativa Extract
TonicMichelia Alba Leaf Oil
Masking
Piper Cubeba Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentRosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
AstringentSpiraea Ulmaria Extract
AstringentSucrose
Humectant
Voandzeia Subterranea Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Algin
Sea Water
HumectantCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hordeum Vulgare Leaf Juice, Water, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Propanediol, Heptyl Undecylenate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Cetearyl Olivate, Glyceryl Behenate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Phoenix Dactylifera Seed Extract, Menyanthes Trifoliata Leaf Extract, Lavandula Stoechas Extract, Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharide Isomerate, Caffeine, Algae Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Arnica Montana Extract, Borago Officinalis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Helichrysum Italicum Flower Oil, Jania Rubens Extract, Medicago Sativa Extract, Michelia Alba Leaf Oil, Piper Cubeba Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Sucrose, Voandzeia Subterranea Seed Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Algin, Sea Water, Cetearyl Glucoside, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sclerotium Gum, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Alcohol, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine 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 CaffeineCamellia 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 ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is made when the Lactobacillus bacteria (the same kind that makes yogurt and kimchi) are allowed to ferment a nutrient medium.
As it ferments, it collects lactic acid, peptides, enzymes, and other bioactive metabolites to provide:
A 2023 review noted that probiotic fermentation ingredients like this one can enhance antioxidant capacity, reduce UV-induced oxidative damage, and support barrier function.
One clinical study from the same year showed a Lactobacillus ferment lysate significantly reduced transepidermal water loss and improved skin hydration.
Another review highlighted that topical Lactobacillus-based preparations can improve ceramide levels in the stratum corneum, support barrier integrity, and even help reduce S. aureus colonization in atopic dermatitis.
Why is this so cool?
Basically, your skin's outer layer works as a brick wall; skin cells are bricks and ceramides are the mortar holding it together. Moisture escapes, irritants get in, and your skin gets dry and reactive when ceramide levels drop. On top of that, "bad" skin bacteria S. aureus loves to move in when your barrier is weak to make inflammation and irritation worse.
So Lactobacillus ferment is basically patching the wall and evicting the troublemaker when it boosts ceramide production and help keep S. aureus in check.
On top of all this, it also acts as a mild antimicrobial preservative booster.
Just so you know, most studies focus on specific strains or the lysate form rather than this generic "Lactobacillus Ferment", so results can vary.
Though it's a promising ingredient, it doesn't have decades of robust clinical data behind it just yet.
Lactobacillus Ferment is generally considered safe for fungal-acne prone skin. The key thing to understand is that it comes from bacteria, not yeast or fungus.
Yeast-derived ferments (like galactomyces) have been shown to activate a protein that's linked to Malassezia-related skin issues whereas lactobacillus doesn't have that problem.
Its byproducts also don't contain the types of fatty acids (C11-24 chain lengths) that Malassezia feeds on.
Learn more about Lactobacillus FermentLactobacillus Ferment Lysate is a postbiotic with skin soothing properties. Postbiotics are inactive molecules produced by probiotic bacteria that provide skin benefits.
This ingredient comes from the secretion of the bacteria, Lactobacillus.
Studies show this ingredient can help calm redness and may help treat the signs of photoaging; however, the evidence is inconclusive and further studies are needed.
Lactobacillus Ferment is generally considered safe for fungal-acne prone skin. The key thing to understand is that it comes from bacteria, not yeast or fungus.
Yeast-derived ferments (like galactomyces) have been shown to activate a protein that's linked to Malassezia-related skin issues whereas lactobacillus doesn't have that problem.
Its byproducts also don't contain the types of fatty acids (C11-24 chain lengths) that Malassezia feeds on.
Learn more about Lactobacillus Ferment LysatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolThis ingredient comes from the pomegranate plant. It's rich in antioxidants (punicalagins, ellagic acid, and anthocyanins) that also give pomegranates their vivid color and reputation as a "superfruit".
Research on skin cells, reconstructed skin models, and in small human trials is pretty encouraging, this extract:
Ellagic acid has also been shown to slow the enzyme that makes pigment so it can help even out dark spots and uneven skin tone over time.
A 2025 study where 60 women used either a pomegranate extract or a placebo backed this up; the pomegranate group had less redness, less extra pigment, and better-hydrated skin after UV exposure. Needless to say, this ingredient should not be replacing your sunscreen.
Learn more about Punica Granatum ExtractWater. 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
