What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocoglucosides Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
CleansingCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Extract
AstringentCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Betaine, Glycerin, Cocoglucosides Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
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 is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.
In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.
This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.
Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.
Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.
Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).
The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin (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 Glycerin
