Tatcha The Water Cream Versus KORA Organics Active Algae Lightweight Moisturizer
Updated on January 30, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 6 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain exfoliants and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, reducing pores and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens and fragrances
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Tatcha The Water Cream 35 ingredients
KORA Organics Active Algae Lightweight Moisturizer 37 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Tatcha The Water Cream 35 ingredients
KORA Organics Active Algae Lightweight Moisturizer 37 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
HumectantDiphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Gold
Cosmetic ColorantBelamcanda Chinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Multiflora Fruit Extract
MaskingHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lecithin
EmollientPistacia Lentiscus Gum
MaskingSodium Chloride
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMica
Cosmetic Colorant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Dimethicone/Phenyl Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
MaskingParfum
Masking
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Gold, Belamcanda Chinensis Root Extract, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Pistacia Lentiscus Gum, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Mica, Tin Oxide, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Phenyl Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Parfum, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, CI 77891
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Extract
HumectantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingXylityl Sesquicaprylate
AntimicrobialLysolecithin
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer
Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPullulan
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Anhydroxylitol
HumectantLecithin
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Rhododendron Ferrugineum Extract
MaskingSilica
Abrasive
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Ocimum Basilicum Oil
Masking
Rosa Centifolia Flower Oil
Masking
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Isoamyl Laurate, Water, Triheptanoin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xylityl Sesquicaprylate, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Lactobacillus, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Anhydroxylitol, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rhododendron Ferrugineum Extract, Silica, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Rosa Centifolia Flower Oil, Alcohol, Citronellol, Geraniol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.
This ingredient has many skin benefits:
This ingredient contains polyphenols, a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight off molecules that damage skin cells.
On top of that, the antioxidants in green tea neutralize free-radicals from the sun. This gives the skin some extra UV protection, but should not replace sunscreen.
Many components of tea have anti-inflammatory properties.
Polyphenols and L-theanine help soothe the skin and reduce irritation. The caffeine in Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract helps calm inflamed blood vessels.
Other compounds found in tea include: Vitamin Bs, linoleic acid, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc.
Research has shown both drinking Camellia Sinensis Leaf Tea and applying it to the skin can help boost skin elasticity and hydration. Studies also show using tea extract may reduce sebum, or oil, production.
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of phospholipids.
This ingredient has emollient and emulsifying properties.
As an emollient, lecithen helps soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.
As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can also help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin.
This is because the phospholipids in lecithin produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that feeds fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolAlcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is usually an astringent alcohol.
These alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
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.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Fatty alcohols come from plant oils such as coconut oil. These can help hydrate the skin and are non-irritating. Some fatty alcohols include cetyl and stearyl alcohol.
Learn more about AlcoholIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Tatcha The Water Cream 35 ingredients
KORA Organics Active Algae Lightweight Moisturizer 37 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Tatcha The Water Cream 35 ingredients
loooveee the way this moisturizer feels. really light and sinks right into my skin (oily/combo/acne-prone), however I feel like i need to use a lot otherwise I'll feel dry throughout the day, and its expensive
i only got a sample so long term effects like acne etc i cant answer for now..
will def. be buying a full product, its so thin and watery smells like cucumber, yet its so moisturizing and sits wonderfully smooth on the face.
KORA Organics Active Algae Lightweight Moisturizer 37 ingredients
This leaves my skin feeling hydrated and supple while minimizing pores and oil. I think this is an excellent dupe for Tatcha's The Water Cream however the latter smells significantly better but the scent goes away quickly. I would buy this again.
