What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCetyl Palmitate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingEpigallocatechin Gallate
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantMenaquinone-7
AntiseborrhoeicSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantRosa Canina Seed Extract
EmollientRosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Vulgaris Extract
PerfumingOriganum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytic Acid
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Isoamyl Laurate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Caffeine, Cetyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Menaquinone-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Rosa Canina Seed Extract, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Xanthan Gum, Phytic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningRosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Seed Oil
EmollientCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Sodium Ascorbate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf, Origanum Vulgare Leaf, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
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 is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.
In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.
This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.
Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.
Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.
Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).
The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.
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 ExtractThis ingredient is more commonly known as the coffee bean from the Coffea Arabica tree. Besides being a delicious drink, coffee beans have a ton of skin benefits.
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract (CASE) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and UV-protective properties. (It should not replace your sunscreen!)
CASE contains several ingredients that protect and soothe skin. These include caffeine, polysaccharides, sucrose, lipids, minerals, and proteins.
The star ingredient in coffee is caffeine.
Caffeine helps with anti-aging, antioxidant, and photo-protection.
How? It has been shown to block collagenase (~41%), elastase (~35%), and tyrosinase (~13%).
Collagenase and elastase are enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, respectively. Tyrosinase is the enzyme that controls melanin production.
Our skin creates melanin when exposed to UV as a defense mechanism.
It should be noted most studies looked at caffeine's ability to inhibit damage from UV-B rays.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient is often dissolved using water, glycerin, and propanediol. The caffeine content of this ingredient is about 100 ppm.
Coffea Arabica is native to Ethiopia.
Learn more about Coffea Arabica Seed ExtractTocopherol 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 Tocopherol