What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientHydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePunica Granatum Extract
AstringentTapioca Starch
Isopropyl Alcohol
SolventHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningNigella Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Menthoxypropanediol
MaskingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTin Oxide
AbrasiveTocopherol
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Caffeine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Carbomer, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Phenoxyethanol, Punica Granatum Extract, Tapioca Starch, Isopropyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactobacillus Ferment, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Menthoxypropanediol, Sodium Gluconate, Adenosine, Tin Oxide, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 19140
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningIsostearyl Palmitate
EmollientPolyethylene
AbrasiveButylene Glycol
HumectantPolysilicone-11
Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMorus Bombycis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentWhey Protein
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Extract
BleachingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCholesterol
EmollientLinoleic Acid
CleansingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantPyridoxine Dipalmitate
Skin ConditioningSucrose
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Laurate
EmollientPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingPetrolatum
EmollientCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingPropylene Carbonate
SolventSodium Chloride
MaskingQuaternium-90 Bentonite
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCyclopentasiloxane, Water, Isostearyl Palmitate, Polyethylene, Butylene Glycol, Polysilicone-11, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Morus Bombycis Root Extract, Caffeine, Phytosphingosine, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Whey Protein, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cholesterol, Linoleic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Pyridoxine Dipalmitate, Sucrose, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Laurate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Propylene Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Quaternium-90 Bentonite, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCamellia 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 ExtractCi 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491Glycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 Water