What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingBetaine
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Myristyl Nicotinate
Skin ConditioningEpilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Citrate
BufferingQuillaja Saponaria Wood Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Betaine, Saccharide Isomerate, Zinc PCA, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Salicylic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzoic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Myristyl Nicotinate, Epilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Citrate, Quillaja Saponaria Wood Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Potassium Sorbate, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract, Geraniol, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract
Skin ConditioningEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentHumulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialHydrastis Canadensis Extract
MaskingPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA-Copper
AstringentCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, Mandelic Acid, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Hydrastis Canadensis Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA-Copper, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide
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 ExtractCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
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 GlycerinSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
