Ginseng Green Tea Anti-Aging Retinol Eye Cream

Name: Tree To Tub - Ginseng Green Tea Anti-Aging Retinol Eye Cream
Brand: Tree To Tub

Efficacy 100/100·High irritancy

Efficacy measures how well the formula delivers the claims the brand advertises · 2 of 2 advertised claims delivered

Based on the ingredients included, "Tree To Tub - Ginseng Green Tea Anti-Aging Retinol Eye Cream" works well for moisturizing the skin.

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Product summary

Based on the ingredients included, "Tree To Tub - Ginseng Green Tea Anti-Aging Retinol Eye Cream" works well for moisturizing the skin. This moisturizer uses a good combo of humectants and emollients. These both types of ingredients are essentials for improving the skin hydration and keeping the skin barrier healthy. Humectants in this product (panthenol, betaine, glycerin, hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate) help to increase the water content in the upper layer of the skin. (These ingredients do so by "capturing" water molecules from the outside air or from within the deeper layers of the skin). Emollients in this formulation (palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, caprylic/capric triglyceride, simmondsia chinensis seed oil and coco-caprylate) help to reduce the moisture loss from the skin. They also soften the skin surface and relieve the feeling of dryness and tightness.

Ingredient callouts

this moisturizer contains an effective form of retinoids (vitamin A): retinol 0.20% - 0.80%. Retinoids are potent multitasking actives. They work to improve and prevent early signs of aging, reduce hyperpigmentation (age spots and post-acne marks), and prevent inflamed blemishes and clogged pores. The downside of retinoids is that they can be irritating. If you are not already using a retinoid in your routine, it is best to start slowly and apply the retinoid product only a few times per week. If your skin tolerates it well, you can gradually increase the frequency to daily. Because of the irritation risk of retinoids, we recommend to have another, retinoid-free moisturizer in your routine to use on the alternative days or when your skin feels dry.
This moistruizer also contains peptides (palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 0.35% - 0.85% and palmitoyl oligopeptide 0.40% - 0.90%). Peptides is a very big group of ingredients. They all consist of a different combination of amino-acids. Our skin produces peptides naturally. Some of them work as natural anti-biotics, promote wound-healing and production of collagen. The scientists are still studying how effective the topical application of peptides is, but it is very likely that peptides in skincare are helpful. They might be able to support skin barrier restoration and even have an anti-aging benefit. At the very least, they certainly help attract water to the skin and support the hydration in this way.
This formulation also uses an effective concentration of panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) - about 0.50% - 1.10%. Panthenol helps strengthen the skin barrier, improve hydration and reduce inflammation in skin.

Irritation risk

This moisturizer contains some common irritants, including those without a benefit for the skin. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be high. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here

You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.

Price

The product retails for 37.49$ in the United States.

For a detailed price comparison: click here.

Product claims breakdown

Anti-aging

RETINOL at ~0.2–0.8% + 5 more curated actives

Strong evidence

This product can help reduce and prevent fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness because it contains retinol.

These ingredients in the product can also be helpful, even though there is less evidence for their effectiveness: palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7.

Keep in mind that it typically takes at least 6 weeks to notice any results because the changes that are needed to improve fine lines and elasticity happen in the deeper layers of the skin. No topical anti-aging product can “erase” wrinkles or fully reverse signs of aging.

RETINOLRole: HeroTwo steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritating~0.2–0.8%

PALMITOYL OLIGOPEPTIDERole: Key activeA type of peptide. Peptides are excellent moisturizers and might be able support collagen production reducing fine lines and wrinkles~0.4–0.9%

PALMITOYL TETRAPEPTIDE-7Role: Key activeA type of peptide. Peptides are excellent moisturizers and might be able support collagen production reducing fine lines and wrinkles~0.35–0.85%

HYALURONIC ACIDRole: Key activeOne of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin. Naturally present in skin. Typically has large molecule size unless advertised otherwise on the product label. Helps support skin's barrier function and may help to reduce inflammation~0.35–0.85%

TOCOPHEROLRole: Under-dosedPure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself~0.3–0.75%

CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF EXTRACTRole: Under-dosedCan contain potent anti-oxidant compounds (abbreviated ECG, GCG, EGC, and EGCG) that might help protect the skin from free radicals. Can help calm down inflammation and has some anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, these antioxidants are unstable and lose their effectiveness very quickly in products. The concentration of the antioxidant compounds in the extract also tends to be low to be effective in topical formulation~0.15–0.55%

Moisturizing

11 ingredients contribute at the levels below

Strong evidence

This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.

The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water. When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from within deeper layers of the skin. The following ingredients in this product do the job: betaine, glycerin.

This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: caprylic/capric triglyceride, simmondsia chinensis seed oil.

The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, panthenol

PALMITOYL OLIGOPEPTIDERole: Key activeA type of peptide. Peptides are excellent moisturizers and might be able support collagen production reducing fine lines and wrinkles~0.4–0.9%

PALMITOYL TETRAPEPTIDE-7Role: Key activeA type of peptide. Peptides are excellent moisturizers and might be able support collagen production reducing fine lines and wrinkles~0.35–0.85%

PANTHENOLRole: Key activeHelps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function~0.5–1.1%

GLYCERINRole: Key activeOne of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant~2.8–4.2%

SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS SEED OILRole: Key activeSoftens the upper layer of skin and helps restore the healthy skin barrier. Has shown to help calm down inflammation in skin. It is a stable oil, meaning that it retains its properties even when exposed to air.~1–1.45%

SODIUM HYALURONATERole: Key activeOne of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin~0.4–0.9%

TOCOPHEROLRole: Under-dosedPure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself~0.3–0.75%

BETAINERole: Key activeHelps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improves the product texture~0.45–1%

CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDERole: Key activeA good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin~2.2–3.3%

Anti-oxidation

RETINOL at ~0.2–0.8% delivers this without it being on the label

Quiet bonus

This product contains antioxidants (retinol) that can help neutralize free radicals in skin. By doing so, they can lessen the damage the skin gets from the UV light (sun).

The following ingredients - camellia sinensis extract also can have an antioxidant effect, but there is less evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin.

TOCOPHEROLRole: Under-dosedPure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself~0.3–0.75%

CAMELLIA SINENSIS EXTRACTRole: Key activeTea extract. Might be helpful in neutralizing free radicals in skin~0.15–0.6%

Exfoliation

RETINOL at ~0.2–0.8% delivers this without it being on the label

Quiet bonus

This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: retinol.

GlycerinRole: Key activeOne of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant~2.8–4.2%

Caprylic/capric triglycerideRole: Key activeA good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerin~2.2–3.3%

Coco-caprylateRole: Key activeAn emollient that softens skin and creates a nice product texture~1.1–1.6%

Simmondsia chinensis seed oilRole: Key activeSoftens the upper layer of skin and helps restore the healthy skin barrier. Has shown to help calm down inflammation in skin. It is a stable oil, meaning that it retains its properties even when exposed to air.~1–1.45%

PanthenolRole: Key activeHelps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function~0.5–1.1%

BetaineRole: Key activeHelps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improves the product texture~0.45–1%

Sodium hyaluronateRole: Key activeOne of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin~0.4–0.9%

Hyaluronic acidRole: Key activeOne of the best moisturizing ingredients. Attracts water into the upper layer of the skin. Naturally present in skin. Typically has large molecule size unless advertised otherwise on the product label. Helps support skin's barrier function and may help to reduce inflammation~0.35–0.85%

Palmitoyl oligopeptideRole: Key activeA type of peptide. Peptides are excellent moisturizers and might be able support collagen production reducing fine lines and wrinkles~0.4–0.9%

Palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7Role: Key activeA type of peptide. Peptides are excellent moisturizers and might be able support collagen production reducing fine lines and wrinkles~0.35–0.85%

Camellia sinensis extractRole: Key activeTea extract. Might be helpful in neutralizing free radicals in skin~0.15–0.6%

Irritancy

15 flagged ingredients — patch-test recommended

High risk

We flagged 15 ingredients with irritancy potential. Severity depends on your sensitivity threshold; the table lists the worst offenders first.

IngredientFunctionIrritationEst. amount

Rosa damascena extractOil of a very fragrant pink rose used as fragrance in cosmetics. Extensive research has shown it has mixed benefits. In the pro column, inhaling this flower’s scent seems to have relaxing properties and the plant’s petals contain skin-soothing and antioxidant compounds that can benefit skin. On the flipside, the numerous chemicals that create this rose’s distinctive fragrance pose a risk of causing skin aggravation.High~4.6–6.9%est.

Rosa damascena flower waterUsed to add a nice rose smell to the product. Might help attract water to the upper layer of the skin and have some anti-oxidant effect. Can be irritatingHigh~3.5–5.2%est.

RetinolTwo steps removed from the active form of vitamin A - retinoic acid. Once converted to the retinoic acid in the skin, retinol is proven to be effective against all signs of aging. It improves skin cell turnover, helps fight blemishes and clogged pores, can regulate excess oil production and even skin tone. It can, however, be quite irritatingHigh~0.2–0.8%est.

Panax ginseng root extractA plant extract that might have some anti-inflammatory properties, but solid evidence is lacking. It can be irritatingHigh~0.35–0.8%est.

Aloe barbadensis extractTraditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skinLow~5.4–8.1%est.

Caprylic/capric triglycerideA good mix of fatty acids that forms a protective layer on the skin. Improves the shelf life of products. Derived from coconut and glycerinLow~2.2–3.3%est.

Coco-caprylateAn emollient that softens skin and creates a nice product textureLow~1.1–1.6%est.

Simmondsia chinensis seed oilSoftens the upper layer of skin and helps restore the healthy skin barrier. Has shown to help calm down inflammation in skin. It is a stable oil, meaning that it retains its properties even when exposed to air.Low~1–1.45%est.

1,2-hexanediolA preservativeLow~0.55–1.3%est.

Sodium acrylates copolymerUsed to create a thicker product consistencyLow~0.5–1.2%est.

Tocopheryl acetateA more stable but less bio-available form of vitamin E compared to Tocopherol. Might help moisturize and protect the skin from free radicals, but mostly used in low concentrations to stabilize other ingredients.Low~0.35–0.85%est.

HydroxyacetophenoneUsed to increase effectiveness of preservativesLow~0.2–0.75%est.

Caprylhydroxamic acidA preservativeLow~0.15–0.6%est.

Cucumis sativus extract—Low~0.15–0.5%est.

Cucumis sativus fruit extractMight be somewhat helpful in reducing hyperpigmentation and neutralizing free radicals but its typical concentration in a product is too low for having an effectLow~0.1–0.45%est.

Comedogenic

Clean of flagged comedogenic ingredients

Low risk

~ marks concentrations estimated from label position and typical use levels