What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

No concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Show highlights for:

Water

Skin Conditioning

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate

Cleansing

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate

Coconut Derived Icon

Coco-Betaine

Cleansing
Coconut Derived Icon

Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether

Solvent

Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether

Solvent

Acrylates Copolymer

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Astringent
Helps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Jasminum Officinale Flower Water

Masking

Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract

Skin Protecting
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract

Masking
May worsen Eczema Icon

Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract

Skin Conditioning

Lavandula Angustifolia Extract

Skin Conditioning
May cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract

Antimicrobial

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Masking
Helps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Geranium Maculatum Extract

Tonic

Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract

Cleansing

Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract

Astringent

Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Aspalathus Linearis Extract

Skin Conditioning

Helichrysum Arenarium Extract

Antiseborrhoeic

Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial
Antioxidant Icon

Bambusa Vulgaris Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce irritation Icon

Thuja Orientalis Extract

Antimicrobial

Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water

Antimicrobial

Centella Asiatica Extract

Cleansing
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Masking
Helps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract

Skin Conditioning

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Castanea Crenata Shell Extract

Skin Conditioning

Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Saccharide Isomerate

Humectant
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Mannan

Camellia Sinensis Leaf

Perfuming
Fragrance IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient
Fatty Alcohol Icon

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Benzyl Glycol

Solvent

Raspberry Ketone

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Caramel

Cosmetic Colorant

CI 19140

Cosmetic Colorant

CI 42090

Cosmetic Colorant

Disodium EDTA

Mentha Piperita Oil

Masking
Oil IconEssential Oil IconFragrance IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Rosacea IconEU Allergen Icon

Reviews

3.60
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
Great Value 60% Light Scent 60% Doesn't Work 20%
4.67
Overall rating
5
4
3
2
1
What people say
No Scent 100% Works Well 100% Expensive 50%

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse. 

It is a:

  • Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
  • Emollient, helping to soften skin
  • Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
  • Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives 
Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Learn more about Butylene Glycol
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Astringent

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 Extract
Cleansing, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing

Centella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.

Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.

Studies show the compounds in centella help with:

The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.

Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.

Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.

Learn more about Centella Asiatica Extract
Antioxidant, Astringent, Emollient

Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract is an antioxidant.

Masking, Skin Conditioning

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.

Chamomile is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Several compounds found in chamomile help with soothing, such as bisbolol.

Antioxidant components in chamomile make it an effective ingredient to help slow the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin.

Essential oils from chamomile have been found to improve wound healing due to its antimicrobial properties.

Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used Chamomile to treat skin redness and dryness. Chamomile has also been used to help treat stomach issues.

Learn more about Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Cleansing, Skin Conditioning

Coco-Betaine is the natural version of Cocamidopropyl Betaine. It is often derived from coconuts.

Coco-Betaine is a surfactant, meaning it helps remove dirt and oil from the skin.

Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin 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 Ethylhexylglycerin
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

Glycerin (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 Glycerin
Antimicrobial, Antiseborrhoeic, Astringent

This ingredient is also known as tea tree leaf water or tea tree hydrosol. It functions as an antimicrobial, anti-sebum, astringent, and tonic ingredient.

You can think of it as a gentler, water-version of tea tree oil.

Its star active is terpinen-4-ol, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial.

The water-soluble compounds of tea tree have been shown to calm inflammation by roughly 50% in vitro (with Terpinen-4-ol driving this).

Terpinen-4-ol has also demonstrated strong inhibitory activity against Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus aureus.

Before slathering on tea tree water, just know concentrations under 5% are considered more suitable and safer than higher concentrations.

The European Medicines Agency recognizes tea tree-derived ingredients as having well-established use for mild acne and small superficial wounds.

It's a well-researched and skin-friendly option for oily or acne-prone skin.

As with most actives, patch testing is a good idea if your skin leans sensitive.

Learn more about Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract comes from the Japanese Knotweed plant native to Japan, Korea, and China.

This plant contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It contains high amounts of resveratrol, a potent antioxidant.

The root of the plant has been used in traditional folk medicine throughout Asia.

Learn more about Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is an amino acid-based surfactant and cleaning agent. This ingredient can be derived from animals or plants. It may also be synthetically created from fatty acids of the coconut and glycine.

Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is a gentle surfactant. Surfactants help gather the dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away. It is a mild cleanser and naturally produces foam.

Astringent, Skin Conditioning, Soothing

Salix Alba Bark Extract comes from the bark of the white willow tree. The official CosIng listing states this ingredient to have astringent, skin conditioning, soothing, and tonic properties.

Its star compound is salicin, a natural glucoside that is chemically related to salicylic acid. That's why you'll often see it marketed as a "natural BHA alternative" but that's a bit of a stretch.

Your skin can't convert salicin to salicylic acid because it needs specific enzymes that aren't present on the skin's surface. It won't behave like true salicylic acid, especially at the concentrations used in cosmetics.

However, this ingredient has its own perks. It contains flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins that give it proven antioxidant and soothing properties.

An 8-week clinical study found a cream with 2% of this extract improved skin microcirculation, elasticity, and dark circles. This is most likely due to its role in increasing hyaluronic acid synthesis in fibroblasts and improved vascular integrity.

Another study found a topical serum with 0.5% salicin showed improvements in visible signs of aging, hyperpigmentation, and texture.

Just be careful if you have a known aspirin/salicylate allergy and be sure to consult with a medical professional about using this ingredient if you do.

Fun fact: Willow Bark extract has been used for thousands of years and ancient civilizations used white willow to help treat pain and fevers.

Learn more about Salix Alba Bark Extract
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. 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

Similar Comparisons