Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner Versus iUNIK Black Snail Restore Serum

Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner Versus iUNIK Black Snail Restore Serum

This calming toner is formulated around Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract and Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate to calm redness and balance excess oil.

This barrier-repair serum is formulated around Centella Asiatica Leaf Water and Niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier and calm redness.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

1,2-Hexanediol

Hydroxyacetophenone

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer

Allantoin

Disodium EDTA

Butylene Glycol

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Phenoxyethanol

Beta-Glucan

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract

Ethylhexylglycerin

Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract

Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract

Pueraria Lobata Root Extract

Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Beta-Glucan, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract

Centella Asiatica Leaf Water

Glycerin

Niacinamide

Glycereth-26

Snail Extract

Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract

Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract

Oryza Sativa Extract

Coffea Arabica Seed Extract

Laminaria Japonica Extract

Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract

Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract

Cynanchum Atratum Extract

Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Arginine

Carbomer

Adenosine

Sodium Polyacrylate

Xanthan Gum

Sodium Hyaluronate

Pentylene Glycol

Caprylyl Glycol

Water, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycereth-26, Snail Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Arginine, Carbomer, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol

Reviews

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

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).

Centella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is one of the most researched botanical extracts in skincare with decades of studies backing its effects on inflammation, collagen, and the skin barrier.

That research keeps pointing back to the same four triterpenoid saponins: Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid.

These compounds allow centella to dial back inflammation, encourage the skin to build and hold onto collagen, support the barrier and hydration, and bring solid antioxidant activity to protect against signs of aging.

Centella also carries a nice supporting cast of Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and amino acids. Put it all together and you get an ingredient that soothes, hydrates, and protects, all at once.

Most of centella's magic comes from the four big compounds (Asiaticoside, Madecassoside, Asiatic Acid, and Madecassic Acid). These are the actives doing the heavy lifting in almost every centella study.

Here is the short version of what they do in the skin:

So it is not just soothing for the sake of soothing. Centella calms the skin AND helps it rebuild.

Just FYI, not all centella on an ingredient list is the same. What you are getting actually depends on the extract:

Fun fact on the ratios: the leaves tend to be richest in Madecassoside and Asiaticoside, and lower in the two acids. The exact amounts shift with where the plant is grown and how it is processed. This means purity really does vary brand to brand.

Centella is one of the most easygoing actives out there.

It layers well with basically everything: niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, peptides, and vitamin C, and also pairs nicely with stronger actives like retinoids and exfoliating acids where it can help take the edge off irritation.

On the safety side, centella and its triterpenes are classified as weak sensitizers, meaning allergic reactions are possible but uncommon.

Patch tests at 1% and 5% came back negative in test panels, and creams at typical use levels did not cause allergic reactions across large groups of people.

But as with any new active, a patch test is still a smart move for very reactive skin.

Centella is widely used because it is effective at low percentages. For context, human safety testing found no meaningful irritation from creams containing centella extract at everyday use levels (the tested amounts were well under 1%).

The irritancy threshold in animal testing was also above 30% (so real-world formulas sit far below anything concerning).

In collagen lab studies, higher concentrations drove more collagen synthesis, so serums built around centella tend to feature it more prominently.

Bottom line: you will find centella working nicely anywhere from a fraction of a percent up to hero-ingredient levels depending on whether it is a supporting soother or the main event.

Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.

Dipotassium 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.

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.

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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