What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Beeswax, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Allantoin, Beta-Glucan, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Undaria Pinnatifida Leaf/Stem Extract
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Gluconolactone, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Leaf/Stem Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate
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 GlycerinWater. 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
