What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCeteareth-20
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingRosa Damascena Flower Extract
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCarrageenan
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningSea Salt
AbrasiveDisodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Isopropyl Myristate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Carrageenan, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sea Salt, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingParfum
MaskingTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientCocoglycerides
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientHydrogenated Didecene
Skin ConditioningVp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Butyrospermum Parkii Oil
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientOctyldodecyl Isostearate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
BHT
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cocoglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Didecene, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Octyldodecyl Isostearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77891
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 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 JuiceCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.
Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SeParfum 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.
Learn more about ParfumThis ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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!
Learn more about Water