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Our Ingredient Glossary

We believe in transparency. We're meticulous about what ingredients we use in our formulations, and have an extensive list of ingredients we will also never use. View our full ingredient list backed by research when you scroll down.

Key Herbal Ingredients

Five red jujubes arranged in a vertical line on a beige background

Jujube

A sweet red date from East Asia with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizing properties, encouraging skin cell rejuvenation.

White peony flower on a beige background

White Peony

A powerful herb used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine to improve blood flow microcirculation, reduce inflammation, rejuvenate and moisturize skin.

Two sticks of different lengths on a beige background

Licorice Root

An essential herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine, often used to reduce inflammation and support skin recovery relating to burns, wounds, atopic dermatitis, rosacea, and eczema.

Dried plant specimen on a beige background

Skullcap Root

Renowned in Traditional Chinese Medicine for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and skin-healing properties. Comes from the root of the resilient Skullcap flower.

Key Science Ingredients

Close-up of a red beet on a beige background

Betaine

The Betaine we use is 100% plant origin from sugar beet root. A powerful osmoprotectant that helps hydrate skin, protect from water stress, and manage your skin’s water balance.

Close-up of green leaves on a textured blue background

Madecassoside

A powerful compound derived from the Centella asiatica, with anti-inflammatory and skin-barrier restorative properties.

Close-up of blue liquid

Ectoin

A natural amino acid derivative produced by halophilic bacteria, helping to soothe irritation, reduce water loss and redness, and strengthen your natural skin barrier.

Close-up of pinkish-brown mushrooms with a soft focus background

Beta-glucan

A natural polysaccharide derived from mushroom (Schizophyllum commune) that provides moisturizing benefits and helps support skin's protective barrier.

Close-up of beige sand with a textured surface

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Soothes irritated and inflamed skin, while reducing histamine and helping skin regulate sebum. Derived from licorice root, a potent ingredient in and of itself.

Close-up of bubbles from a clear liquid on a white background

Ceramide NP

A nautrally-occuring lipid found in skin and an essential component of the skin barrier that helps protect and hydrate skin, while supporting skin recovery and restoration.

Full Ingredients List

Allantoin

A conditioning agent that helps support skin's natural renewal process while providing moisturizing benefits. This gentle compound assists in maintaining skin smoothness and helps improve the appearance of dry or rough texture by supporting natural exfoliation, revealing fresher-looking skin with enhanced hydration properties.

Good for: dry skin, rough texture, skin smoothing, hydration

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Arginine

An amino acid naturally present in the body, Arginine serves as an essential building block for proteins and plays a vital role in maintaining skin health. Arginine helps support collagen formation, skin elasticity and firmness, improved hydration, and barrier function support.

Good for: hydration, barrier support, skin firmness, elasticity

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Beta-glucan

Derived from Schizophyllum commune (a type of mushroom).

This naturally-occurring polysaccharide has intensive moisturizing properties, enhances skin elasticity, and supports skin’s natural regeneration process. Beta-Glucan helps support skin's natural barrier function while providing long-lasting hydration. Clinical studies demonstrate its ability to help improve skin texture and support comfortable, healthier-looking skin by supporting collagen synthesis. We derive our Beta-glucan from Schizophyllum commune (a natural fungus) through biofermentation.

Good for: dry skin, barrier support, moisturization, skin texture, promotes collagen synthesis

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Betaine

Betaine is a powerful osmoprotectant, which helps revitalize skin, strengthen the skin barrier, and manage water balance. A naturally-occurring compound derivative present in plants, animals, and even your own skin, Betain helps protect us from water stress, attracting and retaining moisture for improved hydration. We derive our Betaine from sugar beets, known for their ability to tolerate salty soil environments and drought.

Good for: hydrates, protects, and helps support the skin barrier

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Beta-Sitosterol

This plant-derived phytosterol, naturally found in avocados, nuts, and saw palmetto, mimics our skin’s natural lipids to strengthen its moisture barrier, reduce redness, and soothe irritation. Clinical studies show it helps maintain skin hydration and may support collagen production for firmer-looking skin.

Good for: sensitive skin, barrier repair, anti-aging, may help with eczema/rosacea relief

More Reading:

  • Wójcik, A., et al. "Beta-Sitosterol Modulates Inflammation and Lipid Metabolism in Keratinocytes," Journal of Dermatological Science, vol. 96, no. 1, pp. 29-37, 2019.
  • Gupta, R., et al. "Phytosterols in Dermatology: An Update," Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, vol. 14, pp. 1007–1020, 2021.
Butylene Glycol

This lightweight humectant attracts water to the skin’s surface, boosting hydration without greasiness. It also helps other ingredients penetrate skin better and stabilizes skincare formulations. Research has shown its safety and effectiveness as a non-irritating moisturizing agent.

Good for: all skin types (even acne-prone), hydration boost

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Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride

A lightweight emollient derived from coconut oil that helps form a protective barrier on the skin’s surface to prevent moisture loss while contributing to a smooth, non-greasy finish. Clinical studies show this versatile antioxidant ingredient is able to support increased and improved skin hydration while protecting skin.

Good for: lightweight moisturizing, skin barrier protection, hydration

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Ceramide NP

A naturally-occurring lipid found in skin, Ceramide NP helps skin better retain water and strengthens the skin barrier, protecting it from environmental and external stressors. Often used reduce erythema and improve hydration, studies have shown that ceramides play a key role in restoring moisture balance of skin and maintaining trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL).

Good for: hydrates, protects, and helps support skin barrier functions.

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Coconut Oil

Coconut is a lightweight emollient that helps soften and soothe dry skin. Unlike other vegetable carrier oils, it leaves skin feeling smooth and non-greasy. Clinical studies suggest coconut oil helps maintain the skin’s natural barrier and caprylic/capric triglycerides in coconut oil help skin stay hydrated and maintain moisture.

Good for: dry skin, hydration, moisturizing, softening skin texture

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Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

A natural compound derived from licorice root (also known as Glycyrrhiza glabra L.), Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate helps soothe irritated or inflamed skin, while also reducing histamine and helping regulate sebum. Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate supports our skin’s natural balance by signalling calming rather than inflammatory proteins. A potent ingredient that helps calm skin irritation, redness, and inflammation.

Good for: itchy skin, sebum, inflammation, maintaining skin balance

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Ectoin

Ectoin is a natural amino acid derivative produced by halophilic bacteria capable of surviving in extreme environments such as high salinity, drought or UV radiation. It helps improve damaged, stressed, irritated skin by shielding skin against irritants, soothing inflamed skin, improving water retention, reducing redness, and in so doing, helping to strengthen your natural skin barrier and supporting cellular activities.

Good for: inflammation, redness, hydration

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Glutamic Acid

A key amino acid in our skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), glutamic acid helps regulate hydration and maintain skin barrier function. It also supports detoxification and protects against environmental stressors by neutralizing free radicals.

Good for: hydration, barrier repair, antioxidant defense

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Glycerin
Glycine

This naturally occurring amino acid is a fundamental building block of collagen and skin proteins. It enhances moisture retention,  supports our skin's natural renewal processes, and helps maintain skin's firmness by supporting collagen synthesis. Clinical studies also show glycine's ability to improve skin elasticity and reduce signs of aging.

Good for: anti-aging, hydration, skin smoothing, collagen support

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Hydroxyacetophenone

A gentle yet potent antioxidant derived from plants, hydroxyacetophenone soothes irritation and protects skin from oxidative damage. Unlike traditional preservatives, it stabilizes formulations without causing sensitivity, making it ideal for reactive skin.

Good for: sensitive skin, antioxidant protection, preservative-free stabilization

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Jojoba Oil

Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil

A liquid wax derived from jojoba seeds that closely mimics the skin's natural sebum composition. Jojoba seeds and oil have had a long history of use in folk and traditional medicine practices, given its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antipsoriasis, and antimicrobial properties. Jojoba oil provides immediate and sustained hydration while helping to balance skin's natural oil production and support the skin's protective barrier for healthy-looking skin texture and overall skin health.

Good for: hydration, skin barrier support, balancing, moisturizing

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Jujube

Ziziphus jujuba Mill.

The humble jujube, a sweet red date, has been around since ancient times. Archaeological evidence shows us that jujubes were cultivated in China over 5,000 years ago. Not only do jujubes have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, nutritive, and moisturizing properties, they encourage cell rejuvenation—helping give skin a smoother, firmer appearance. Great for sunburn relief, jujubes help soothe inflammation and support skin repair. 

Good for: inflammation, moisturizing, cell rejuvenation

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Lactobacillus Ferment

A naturally-derived ferment that provides conditioning and protective benefits for not only skin but also hair. Lactobacillus Fermentum has long been used in food fermentation and when applied topically, is known to be rich in vitamins and minerals that help nourish and hydrate skin, supporting its natural protective functions. Studies show that the ferment has excellent anti-inflammatory properties, reduces redness, and helps soothe skin in vitro. Our Lactobacillus Ferment has been cultivated and isolated from Korean Jeju kimchi — said to have been invented over 4,000 years ago.

Good for: microbiome support, skin conditioning, hydration, anti-inflammation

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Licorice Root

Glycyrrhiza glabra L.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, licorice root is considered an ‘essential herb’ and is especially valued for its harmonizing and balancing properties in formulations. Licorice root is well-documented as a powerful anti-inflammatory ingredient, and has often been used to support recovery of burns and wounds, as well as skin diseases connected to inflammation including atopic dermatitis, rosacea, and eczema.

Good for: inflammation, atopic dermatitis, eczema

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Madecassoside

This hero ingredient is one of four bioactive compounds found in the Centella asiatica plant—an edible plant used in Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine practices. Clinically recognized for its anti-inflammatory and skin-barrier restorative properties, Madecassoside effectively soothes sensitive, atopic, and psoriasis skin thanks to its anti-itching, redness-reducing, and hydrating properties. Madecassoside also helps reduce acne-related redness, and alleviate  skin flakiness due to dryness through enhanced hydration and supporting natural skin recovery processes.

Good for: inflammation, atopic skin, psoriasis, acne, skin flakiness, hydration

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Panthenol

A derivative of pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B5, panthenol is an effective humectant and skin conditioning agent. Research studies show that panthenol helps skin produce lipids to help maintain a strong and healthy skin barrier. Panthenol helps skin attract and retain moisture, while helping to reduce irritation and supporting collagen synthesis.

Good for: hydration, barrier support, irritation

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Propanediol

A versatile glycol derived and fermented from corn that functions as both a humectant and an emollient. Propanediol helps attract moisture to the skin while also preventing moisture loss, providing dual hydrating benefits. Propanediol can enhance the effectiveness of other active ingredients while contributing to smooth, comfortable skin feel.

Good for: hydration, ingredient delivery, skin conditioning, moisturizing

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Shea Butter
Skullcap Root

Scutelleria baicalensis

The Skullcap flower is remarkable for its ability to survive in extreme climate conditions, weathering intense drought, heat, and altitude. The plant’s roots, often referred to as 黄芩 (Huang Qin), are renowned in Traditional Chinese Medicine for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and skin-healing properties. Rich in flavonoids, including baicalin, skullcap root soothes irritation, reduces redness, and helps protect skin from environmental stress such as free radicals from UV exposure.

Good for: protecting skin from free radicals, soothing irritation, reducing redness, skin-barrier protection

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Sodium Hyaluronate

The sodium salt form of hyaluronic acid provides exceptional moisturizing benefits, as well as helping to nourish and maintain skin microbiome. This powerful humectant can hold significant amounts of water, helping skin maintain water balance, prevent water loss, support skin barrier recovery, and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Good for: hydration, moisture retention, fine lines, supporting skin microbiome

More Reading:

  • Der Hautarzt; Zeitschrift fur Dermatologie, Venerologie, und Verwandte Gebiete, December 2017, pages 987-993. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, July 2014, pages 277-287
Sunflower Seed Oil
Squalane

Squalane is derived from plant sugar, and is a key component of sebum and your skin's natural oils. It's known as an emollient that helps restore skin’s natural moisture barrier, and supports a soft and smooth appearance of skin. Clinical studies demonstrate its ability to reduce water loss and provide long-lasting moisturizing benefits for healthier-looking skin. Our squalane is derived from sugar cane, a sustainable and renewable resource.

Good for: moisturizing, hydration, softening, and smoothing

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Tocopherol

A lipid-soluble antioxidant, tocopherol neutralizes free radicals, prevents UV-induced damage, and supports skin barrier repair. It enhances the stability of other actives (such as Vitamin C) and is clinically proven to reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

Good for: anti-aging, UV protection, moisturization, skin barrier support

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White Peony

Paeonia lactiflora Pall.

White peony root, or 白芍药 (Bai Shao Yao), has been a Traditional Chinese Medicine remedy for centuries. A powerful herb that contains bioactive compounds such as paeoniflorin, white peony is typically used to help improve microcirculation (blood flow and circulation of your smallest blood vessels) and reduce inflammation. When applied to skin, white peony root is known to help brighten, rejuvenate, and moisturize skin, and is especially useful after UV exposure and damage. Its soothing and antibacterial properties also help protect your skin barrier.

Good for: inflammation, rejuvenation, moisturizing, skin-barrier protection

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We believe in being kind to our skin, and that means saying no to all harmful ingredients.

Learn more about our blacklist

No Essential Oils
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No Fragrance
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No Sulfates
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No Alcohols
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No Parabens
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No Mineral Oils
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No Aluminium
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No Harm

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