Updated on June 19, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both vegan, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe makeup removers. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain hyaluronic acid
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for sensitive skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
COSRX Low pH Niacinamide Micellar Cleansing Water 16 ingredients
The Saem Healing Tea Garden Chamomile Cleansing Water 20 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
COSRX Low pH Niacinamide Micellar Cleansing Water 16 ingredients
The Saem Healing Tea Garden Chamomile Cleansing Water 20 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Ingredients Side-by-side
Water. 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.
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created stabilizer and solvent. It is a part of the glycol class in the alcohol family.
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate comes from Capric Acid and Polyglycerin-4. It is an emulsifier.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It can be found naturally in our skin and hair.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
6 Benefits
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
Zinc PCA (or "zinc salt") differs slightly from zinc itself. PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. However, Zinc PCA comes from zinc.
Helps reduce irritation
Madecassoside comes from the super popular skin-soothing ingredient, Centella asiatica. It is one of four active compounds found in the extract of Centella Asiatica.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
Water. 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.
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created stabilizer and solvent. It is a part of the glycol class in the alcohol family.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Centella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract comes from the Mung Bean. Phaseolus Radiatus is an older scientific name for this ingredient. It is now usually referred to as Vigna Radiata.
Allantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It can be found naturally in our skin and hair.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is an amino acid-based surfactant and cleaning agent. This ingredient can be derived from animals or plants. It may also be synthetically created from fatty acids of the coconut and glycine.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
4 Benefits 2 Concerns
Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.
Hydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant and helps with skin conditioning.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
Water, Methylpropanediol, Ethoxydiglycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Octyldodeceth-16, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, 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.
Water. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created stabilizer and solvent. It is a part of the glycol class in the alcohol family.
Dipropylene Glycol helps dissolve and evenly distribute ingredients. It also helps decrease viscosity and thin out texture.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It can be found naturally in our skin and hair.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5 or dexpanthenol in dermatology.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
Learn more about PanthenolSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateAllantoin plays a role in soothing and moisturizing the skin. Because of this, it is often added to products with strong active ingredients.
Some studies have shown this ingredient can promote wound healing with higher concentrations.
Allantoin is derived from the comfrey plant but produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Learn more about Allantoin1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.
In products that are water-based, this ingredient can help stabilize perfumes and fragrances. It can also help make the texture of products softer and more smooth.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Sodium Citrate helps maintain the pH of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Sodium Citrate is a chelating agent. It neutralizes metal ions from water and prevents them from binding to other ingredients. This ensures the other ingredients will not be altered.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateCitric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).
As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.
If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
COSRX Low pH Niacinamide Micellar Cleansing Water 16 ingredients
The Saem Healing Tea Garden Chamomile Cleansing Water 20 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
COSRX Low pH Niacinamide Micellar Cleansing Water 16 ingredients
Clover
My favorite way to cleanse in the morning!
I have dry but acne prone skin, so I really wanted to find a way to cleanse my skin in the morning...
My favorite way to cleanse in the morning!
I have dry but acne prone skin, so I really wanted to find a way to cleanse my skin in the morning without also stripping my skin of every ounce of moisture it has. I’ve been testing micellar waters for awhile now, but so far this one by COSRX is my favorite! It feels a little more hydrating than some of the others I’ve tried (Bioderma and Garnier), and I like that it contains panthenol, niacinamide, zinc PCA, and madecassoside to help with my inflammatory acne. COSRX states there is no need to rinse off this micellar water which is super convenient for me, as I keep most of my skincare on my vanity and not in my bathroom. In the morning I like to pore this onto a cotton pad before swiping this across my face to remove any excess oil or product (from my previous nights routine) before following up with a hypochlorous acid spray to kill bacteria. This way of morning cleansing has been working very well for me, and I recommend giving it a try if you also find that using a water based cleanser twice a day is too drying for your skin. However, if you’re skin is super sensitive I still think I would recommend the Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water over this one simply because I believe it to be the best option for sensitive skin. But for those without sensitive skin this micellar water from COSRX is amazing! I highly recommend giving it a try.
