What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Oleth-20
CleansingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aroma
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Calcium Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingSorbitol
Humectant
Citrus Grandis Seed Extract
Astringent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Euphrasia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialRosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Triacetin
AntimicrobialSodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
UV AbsorberBenzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Oleth-20, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Parfum, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aroma, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Thioctic Acid, Calcium Ascorbate, Sodium Phosphate, Sorbitol, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Ascorbic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Euphrasia Officinalis Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Potassium Sorbate, Triacetin, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool, CI 15985
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Enteromorpha Compressa Extract
Skin ProtectingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Phenyl Methicone
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root
Skin ConditioningChrysanthemum Parthenium Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningSodium Isostearate
CleansingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysilicone-11
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Silica, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium PCA, Alpha-Arbutin, Niacinamide, Bisabolol, Phenyl Methicone, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylyl Methicone, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Sodium Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Lactate, Carbomer, Polysilicone-11, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
