Tatcha The Texture Tonic AHA Liquid Exfoliating Treatment Versus Sekkisei Brightening Essence Lotion
This smoothing exfoliator is formulated around Niacinamide and Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate to refine skin texture and refine the look of pores.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Luffa Cylindrica Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Foeniculum Vulgare Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantifolia Juice
CleansingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Juice
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Crataegus Cuneata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Belamcanda Chinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningEriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-20
EmulsifyingPEG-30 Glyceryl Isostearate
Surfactant
PEG-50 Glyceryl Isostearate
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPentasodium Pentetate
ChelatingCitric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Luffa Cylindrica Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Foeniculum Vulgare Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Juice, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Citrus Limon Juice, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Crataegus Cuneata Fruit Extract, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Belamcanda Chinensis Root Extract, Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-20, PEG-30 Glyceryl Isostearate, PEG-50 Glyceryl Isostearate, Propanediol, Sodium Citrate, Pentasodium Pentetate, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Erythritol
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Water
Skin ConditioningMelothria Heterophylla Root Extract
Skin ConditioningStearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
ChelatingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Erythritol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Water, Melothria Heterophylla Root Extract, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Phosphate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lysolecithin, Phytosterols, Sodium Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholThis leaf extract comes from the Asian mugwort. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Fun fact: This flower is part of the sunflower family.
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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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 WaterWe don't have a description for Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract yet.
