What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCopper PCA
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycine
Buffering
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Arctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTamarindus Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningLevulinic Acid
Perfuming
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pectin
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Propanediol, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Copper PCA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycine, Niacinamide, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Tamarindus Indica Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract, Yeast Extract, Levulinic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Caprylate, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Pectin
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Dextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sucrose
Humectant
Water, Propanediol, Alcohol, Glycerin, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Saccharide Isomerate, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sorbitan Olivate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tromethamine, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Sucrose
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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateWater. 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
