What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Peucedanum Graveolens Extract
TonicSpinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Bark/Fruit Extract
AntimicrobialLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Parfum
Masking
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water, Cucumis Sativus Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Peucedanum Graveolens Extract, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum Bark/Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Caffeine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Mannose
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, P-Anisic Acid, Mannose, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
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 ExtractCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
