What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Glycolate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Sorbitol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Glycolate, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Laureth-4, Glycolic Acid, Glycol Distearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingMelia Azadirachta Seed Oil
Emollient
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phytic Acid
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycol Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Laureth-4, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil, Linoleic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Phytic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 ExtractCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycol Distearate is an emulsifier and emollient that adds a "pearly" appearance to formulations.
That lustrous look you see in many shampoos is due to this ingredient: when cooled, it crystallizes into small platelets that reflect light to give products that rich, shimmering look.
This ingredient is considered safe at present practices of use and concentration and repeated insult patch test with 50% Glycol Distearate on 125 subjects found no evidence of skin irritation, hypersensitivity, or acute toxicity.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.1-10%.
Because it's an ester of stearic acid, it falls into the range that Malassezia likes to metabolize. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateGlycolic 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 āglueā 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 (thatās 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 donāt 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 youāre highly sensitive, itās well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidLaureth-4 is created by reacting ethylene oxide with Lauryl Alcohol. It is a surfactant and emulsifier.
Surfactants reduce the surface tension of ingredients so they can mix better. Emulsifiers prevent ingredients such as oil and water from separating.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
