What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingHydrogenated Coconut Acid
EmollientSodium Isethionate
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningChrysanthemum Parthenium Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingSodium PCA
HumectantHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Coconut Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Stearyl Alcohol, Allantoin, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium PCA, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Maltodextrin, Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialSodium Chloride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glucoside
CleansingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingMalus Domestica Fruit Extract
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalvia Officinalis Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingLavandula Hybrida Oil
EmollientSalvia Sclarea Oil
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Mandelic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol, Caprylyl Glucoside, Maltodextrin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Caffeine, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Malus Domestica Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide
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 ExtractCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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