What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingSorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Sucrose
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Caprylate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Sorbitol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Glucoside, Fructooligosaccharides, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Glyceryl Oleate, Propanediol, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Glycosphingolipids, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ng, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sucrose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sucrose Stearate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Actinidia Arguta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Malus Domestica Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Lavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Betaine
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Actinidia Arguta Fruit Extract, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Malus Domestica Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ceramide NP
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 ExtractCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidWater. 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
