What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
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
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEuphrasia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-29
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Caesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingArnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Malva Officinalis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Coconut Alkanes, Glycerin, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Bakuchiol, Centella Asiatica Meristem Cell Culture, Xanthan Gum, Euphrasia Officinalis Extract, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Stearate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Linoleic Acid, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caffeine, Tripeptide-29, Potassium Sorbate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Tin Oxide, Caesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Ceramide Ng, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Malva Officinalis Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Reviews
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 CaffeineCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract comes from the common Marigold plant part of the Asteraceae family. This ingredient is a skin conditioner.
Marigolds contain flavonoids. Flavonoids are a group of substances found naturally in plants. They possess antioxidant and inflammation properties.
This ingredient soothes skin inflammation by inhibiting inhibiting a part of the inflammation process.
Marigolds have been used in traditional medicine throughout Asia and Europe.
Learn more about Calendula Officinalis Flower ExtractCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
