What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Squalane
EmollientDimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientDextrin Palmitate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingDextrin Palmitate/Ethylhexanoate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Pentaisostearate
EmollientOryza Sativa Germ Oil
EmollientCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningStearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningOryzanol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingInositol
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAlcohol
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantAlgae Extract
EmollientGold
Cosmetic ColorantSqualane, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Dextrin Palmitate, Parfum, Dextrin Palmitate/Ethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Pentaisostearate, Oryza Sativa Germ Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Water, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Oryzanol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Inositol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Alcohol, Glycerin, Algae Extract, Gold
Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf
PerfumingPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientDiphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientSericin
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Germ Oil
EmollientChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Serpyllum Extract
Skin ConditioningZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingAlcohol
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Propanediol, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Squalane, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Sericin, Oryza Sativa Germ Oil, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Thymus Serpyllum Extract, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Carboxyethyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholCamellia Japonica Seed Oil comes from the Japanese Camellia plant. This plant is native to East Asia and known as "Tsubaki" in Japanese.
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil is rich in oleic acid. This makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe the skin by forming a barrier. This barrier traps moisture within, keeping your skin hydated.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinOryza Sativa Germ Oil is an oil expressed from the germs of rice kernels.
Germs are not bacteria but rather a part of rice kernel that allows new plants to germinate.
Like other plant oils, this can help nourish the skin. The germ of rice is rich in oils, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and protein.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about the benefits of rice extract.
Learn more about Oryza Sativa Germ OilParfum 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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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 ParfumSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itās technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term āoil-freeā isnāt regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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