What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Houttuynia Cordata Extract 97.5%
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Ocimum Basilicum Oil
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingSodium Phytate
Dextrin
AbsorbentWater
Skin ConditioningC13-16 Isoparaffin
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
C12-14 Isoparaffin
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientVinyldimethicone
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Houttuynia Cordata Extract 97.5%, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Betaine, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Tromethamine, Sodium Phytate, Dextrin, Water, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Butylene Glycol, C12-14 Isoparaffin, Pentylene Glycol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Vinyldimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Panthenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Silica, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateTocopherol 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
