What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Cocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Potassium Sorbate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Cocos Nucifera Water, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Caffeine, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-26
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethoxytolyl Propylresorcinol
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytic Acid
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose
Humectant
Algae Extract
EmollientHydrolyzed Prunus Domestica
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingSorbitol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingPPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycereth-26, Butylene Glycol, Yeast Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Dimethoxytolyl Propylresorcinol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Leaf Extract, Phytic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Caffeine, Sucrose, Algae Extract, Hydrolyzed Prunus Domestica, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Sorbitol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Caprylyl Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, 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.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCamellia 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 ExtractEthylhexylglycerin 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 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.
Potassium 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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
