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
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRosa Centifolia Flower Extract
Astringent
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Potassium Sorbate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Ascorbic Acid, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Rose Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMontmorillonite
AbsorbentCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium PCA, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Triethyl Citrate, Rose Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betaine, Sodium Citrate, Montmorillonite, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, 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 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 SorbateRosa Damascena Flower Water is the water-based byproduct of steam-distilling damask rose petals. It has skin conditioning, masking, and skin protecting properties.
Research shows that Rosa damascena is rich in flavonoids and phenolic compounds like gallic acid that contribute to its antioxidant activity.
In vitro studies have shown that Rosa damascena can scavenge free radicals and reduce melanin overproduction. Research has also found this extract offers some degree of UV absorption but this should not replace your sunscreen.
Learn more about Rosa Damascena Flower WaterSodium 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
