What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMethylpropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientGlycereth-26
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantEclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Water
MaskingPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantDextrin
AbsorbentPhellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSchisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Polyquaternium-51, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Carbomer, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Dextrin, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantEpilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCydonia Oblonga Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalvia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantEucalyptus Citriodora Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Cydonia Oblonga Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Citriodora Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Linalool
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 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 GlycerinRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil is oil expressed from the leaves of the rosemary plant.
Rosemary Leaf Oil is a fragrance and helps give your product a scent. If you are sensitive to irritating fragrances, this one contains camphor. Camphor has been found to irritate skin.
This oil also contains antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. As an antioxidant, it may protect you skin against damage. This can help slow down the signs of aging.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf OilTocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum