What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC13-15 Alkane
SolventCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf
Perfuming
Betaine
Humectant
Corn Starch Modified
AbsorbentHexyl Laurate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Squalene
Emollient
Water, C13-15 Alkane, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Propanediol, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Betaine, Corn Starch Modified, Hexyl Laurate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Trehalose, Glycerin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetyl Palmitate, Parfum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Palmitate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Beta-Carotene, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Dextrin
AbsorbentPhellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Polyquaternium-51, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Carbomer, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Dextrin, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Tocopherol
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.Ā
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 preservativesĀ
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 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 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 HydroxyacetophenoneTocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
