What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHeliotropine
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-10
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Heliotropine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Polyquaternium-10, Coconut Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCarrageenan
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alanyl Glutamine
HumectantArginine
Masking
Oligopeptide-177
Phenylalanine
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Coco-Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Carrageenan, Coconut Acid, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Maltodextrin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alanyl Glutamine, Arginine, Oligopeptide-177, Phenylalanine, Potassium Sorbate, Sisymbrium Irio Seed Oil
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 AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideCoconut acid is a mixture of fatty acids obtains by hydrolyzing coconut oil and then distilling the fatty acid portion. It works as a cleansing surfactant, emollient, and emulsifier depending on the formulation.
This ingredient is not a single compound but reflects the fatty acid profile of coconut oil itself, which is about 90% saturated.
The dominant fatty acid is lauric acid (44-54%) and then myristic acid (13-19%). There are also small amounts of caprylic, capric, palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
Human testing from CIR has shown no indication this ingredient to be a primary irritant, sensitizer, or phototoxic compound. It's COSMOS-approved for natural and organic products.
Due to the fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Research has confirmed Malassezia can use lauric acid as a food source.
Learn more about Coconut AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
