What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantBakuchiol
AntimicrobialSqualane
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingTocopherol
AntioxidantUbiquinone
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingKojic Acid
AntioxidantRaspberry Ketone
MaskingLavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingMyristyl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-6 Laurate
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Bakuchiol, Squalane, Niacinamide, Tocopherol, Ubiquinone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Kojic Acid, Raspberry Ketone, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil, Xanthan Gum, Lauryl Glucoside, Myristyl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientRubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycerin
HumectantCaprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingUndecane
EmollientTridecane
PerfumingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningBakuchiol
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
SmoothingVaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGarcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
AbsorbentCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAlgin
MaskingStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientCocoglycerides
EmollientGuaiazulene
AntimicrobialIron Oxides
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHeptyl Glucoside
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientTropolone
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingCitrus Limon Juice
Skin ConditioningMalpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEmblica Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Fruit Extract
EmollientMyrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Water
MaskingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Undecane, Tridecane, Panthenol, Bakuchiol, Niacinamide, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Carbomer, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Algin, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Cocoglycerides, Guaiazulene, Iron Oxides, 1,2-Hexanediol, Heptyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Propanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caramel, Parfum, Citrus Limon Juice, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Cocos Nucifera Water, Maltodextrin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceBakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. It has antimicrobial, emollient, skin conditioning, and antioxidant properties.
You'll likely see it called a "retinol replacement" but the two are technically not related. This is because bakuchiol is able to flip many of the same switches in your skin cells to tell them to:
1) produce more collagen (type I, III, and IV)
2) activate the same genes retinoids do
Unlike retinoids, this ingredient will not increase photosensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy (but please still check in with your doctor!).
The flagship clinical trial from Dhaliwal et al. 2019 found 0.5% bakuchiol (twice daily) and 0.5% retinol (once daily) reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation equally, but bakuchiol had significantly less irritation.
Systematic reviews also back this up:
Bakuchiol is comparable to retinol for photoaging but with better tolerability. It also has mild antibacterial properties against Cutibacterium acnes and antifungal activity in vitro against Candida and dermatophytes.
The reason bakuchiol works well is due to its structure; it is a meroterpene phenol, or a hybrid molecule. The phenol half acts as an antioxidant while the terpene half is fat-loving. This helps the molecule slip through the skin barrier.
This ingredient is usually used between 0.5-2%. Only one case of contact dermatitis has ever been reported for this ingredient.
Learn more about BakuchiolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about Niacinamide