What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Adansonia Digitata Oil
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-10
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
Emollient
Lavandula Spica Flower Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Urtica Dioica Extract
AstringentCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Glycerin, Adansonia Digitata Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyquaternium-10, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Lavandula Spica Flower Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Menthol, Urtica Dioica Extract, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingGlycol Stearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Hydrolyzed Silk
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Stearamide Amp
Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil
Emollient
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Glycol Stearate, Parfum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panthenol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Hydrolyzed Silk, Citric Acid, Stearamide Amp, Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Tocopherol, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethyl Citrate, Benzoic Acid
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 JuiceCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is derived from guar gum. It is a skin conditioning agent that creates a thin, breathable film to reduce water loss during cleansing.
This leaves the skin feeling soft rather than stripped and also contributes to a creamier lather.
Due to the large molecule size, this ingredient is unlikely to penetrate skin.
Learn more about Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium ChlorideRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil is an essential oil also known as rosemary essential oil. In skincare, it is a skin conditioning agent and also acts as a natural fragrance that gives products a fresh/herby smell.
The oil is a mix of over 100 volatile compounds with 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, camphor, and verbenone usually leading the pack.
Lab studies credit this oil with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activity. Some research even show rosemary compounds calming acne-related inflammation.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be nonsensitizing.
Since this is a fragrant essential oil, the main concern is for fragrance-sensitive folks.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf OilSodium Lauroyl Lactylate (SLL) is a mild, plant-derived surfactant made by combining lauric acid with lactic acid.
It has two main jobs in a formula:
A perk of this ingredient is that it leaves skin feeling soft and silky after rinsing. This is why you'll even see it in baby washes.
Another perk?
The lauric acid backbone gives it mild antimicrobial activity and lauric acid itself has been shown to suppress acne-causing bacteria in lab studies.
In 2023, scientists took a close look at how SLL behaves and found it can break apart the fatty outer layers of cells. This is basically why it cleans well and can fight off certain microbes.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has reviewed it and concluded it's safe as used.
A 2017 survey showed concentrations up to 10% are used in rinse-off cleansers and roughly 0.5-5% being typical in skincare.
Animal and reconstructed-skin testing found it to be non-irritating at 10%, and it's well tolerated even on sensitive skin. The only caveat is to patch test if you have a lactic acid allergy.
As a lactylate salt used at low co-emulsifier concentrations, this ingredient is less likely to break down and release free lauric acid on skin. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl LactylateWater. 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
