The Skin House Vital Bright Cream Versus The Skin House Green Tea Collagen Cream

The Skin House Vital Bright Cream Versus The Skin House Green Tea Collagen Cream

This brightening day moisturizer is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Squalane to brighten dull-looking skin and hydrate skin.

This anti-aging moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract to soften the look of wrinkles and hydrate skin.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Glycerin

Sodium Hyaluronate

Butylene Glycol

Squalane

Dimethicone

Niacinamide

1,2-Hexanediol

Cyclopentasiloxane

Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Potassium Olivoyl PCA

Panax Ginseng Root Extract

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Honey

Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract

Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Water

Paullinia Cupana Fruit Extract

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Morus Alba Fruit Extract

Prunus Avium Fruit Extract

Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract

Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract

Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract

Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract

Malpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract

Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract

Punica Granatum Fruit Extract

Rubus Coreanus Fruit Extract

Panthenol

Tocopheryl Acetate

Betaine

Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer

Iron Oxides

Ethylhexylglycerin

Parfum

Water, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Potassium Olivoyl PCA, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Honey, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Water, Paullinia Cupana Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Fruit Extract, Prunus Avium Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Malpighia Emarginata Fruit Extract, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Rubus Coreanus Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Betaine, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Iron Oxides, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum

Cyclomethicone

Paraffinum Liquidum

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate

Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Cetearyl Alcohol

Stearic Acid

Glyceryl Stearate

PEG-100 Stearate

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Methyl Gluceth-20

PEG-10 Dimethicone

Polysorbate 60

Sorbitan Isostearate

Beeswax

Carbomer

Sorbitan Stearate

Sodium Polyacrylate

C13-14 Isoparaffin

Laureth-7

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Linoleic Acid

Ceramide NP

Camellia Japonica Seed Oil

Arginine

Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract

Allantoin

Adenosine

Disodium EDTA

Panax Ginseng Cell Culture Extract

Bambusa Vulgaris Callus Culture Extract

Aloe Vera Callus Extract

Leontopodium Alpinum Extract

Thymus Vulgaris Extract

Buddleja Davidii Extract

Snail Secretion Filtrate

Aralia Cordata Extract

Saururus Chinensis Extract

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Elsholtzia Splendens Extract

Phenoxyethanol

CI 19140

CI 15985

Linalool

Limonene

Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Cyclomethicone, Paraffinum Liquidum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Betaine, Methyl Gluceth-20, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Beeswax, Carbomer, Sorbitan Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Linoleic Acid, Ceramide NP, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Arginine, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Panax Ginseng Cell Culture Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Callus Culture Extract, Aloe Vera Callus Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Aralia Cordata Extract, Saururus Chinensis Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Elsholtzia Splendens Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 19140, CI 15985, Parfum, Linalool, Limonene

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is a botanical extract pulled from the leaves of aloe vera and one of the most studied plant ingredients in cosmetics.

The inner leaf gel it comes from is mostly water (~99-99.5%) and the remaining fraction is made up of pretty good stuff: polysaccharides, vitamins, phenolics, and enzymes.

Its headline job is hydration.

The star polysaccharide in aloe, acemannan, is a humectant that retains moisture and helps reduce trans-epidermal water loss.

Aloe also has real soothing credentials; it contains anti-inflammatory compounds like bradykinase and C-glucosyl chromone that help calm irritation and redness.

On the repair side, lab work shows that acemannan wakes up your skin's repair cells (fibroblasts), prompting them to multiply and speed up healing.

There's some human data for cosmetic benefit too: a cream containing 10% Aloe Barbadensis leaf extract improved skin hydration and elasticity in a real-use study.

Safety-wise, this ingredient is well-regarded with just one rare downside; there have been some case reports of acute eczema, contact urticaria, and dermatitis in people who applied aloe-derived ingredients topically. Those with a known aloe or Liliaceae sensitivity should patch test.

Typical use levels range widely, from under 1% up to 90%+ depending on the format and the effect you are after.

Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.

Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

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.

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).

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

This ingredient is a silicone elastomer that works as a texture enhancer, adds a silky slip, and also helps absorb excess oil.

Because it's a large macromolecule that's insoluble in water and chemically inert, it's not expected to penetrate or be absorbed into skin.

Human patch tests with a facial lotion containing 1% of this ingredient found no sensitization.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

This extract comes from the Cabbage Palm, AKA the Açaí berry! It has skin soothing and antioxidant properties.

Acai berries are rich in antioxidants, including ferulic acid (The famous vitamin C stabilizer). Antioxidants protect your skin against damaging free-radical molecules.

You can also find carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, minerals, vitamin A, and Vitamin C in these berries.

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.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).

It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.

This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.

Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.

Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.

No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).

Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.

This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.

Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.

Read more about squalene with an "e".

Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.

The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.

Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.

A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.

The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.

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. Remember to stay hydrated!

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