What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Canola Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCetearyl Olivate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Harpagophytum Procumbens Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Collagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Water, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Canola Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Propylene Glycol, PEG-40 Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sodium Hydroxide, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Olivate, Squalane, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 60, Xanthan Gum, Dipropylene Glycol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentylene Glycol, Harpagophytum Procumbens Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Madecassoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Collagen Amino Acids, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Ammonium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Wheat Germamidopropyldimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDiazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Water, Glycolic Acid, Ammonium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Wheat Germamidopropyldimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Cellulose Gum, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCamellia 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 GlycerinGlycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
AHAs work by breaking down the structural “glue” that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (that’s where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive or prone to rosacea, glycolic acid may be too strong; in that case, try milder options like lactic acid or a PHA instead.
Recent studies suggest glycolic acid might even help protect against UV damage. But don’t skip sunscreen! Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
Glycolic acid is a skincare superstar. It smooths, brightens, hydrates, and firms the skin. Unless you’re highly sensitive, it’s well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium 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
