What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientEmulsifying Wax Nf
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientFructose
HumectantSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientCannabis Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantCannabis Sativa Callus Culture Lysate Extract
Skin ConditioningResveratrol
AntioxidantSqualane
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Emulsifying Wax Nf, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Fructose, Superoxide Dismutase, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Cannabis Sativa Callus Culture Lysate Extract, Resveratrol, Squalane, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCandelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSqualane
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningArnica Montana Flower Extract
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingAspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Glycine Soja Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Superoxide Dismutase, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Mica, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cellulose Gum, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol 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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itās technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term āoil-freeā isnāt regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneSuperoxide Dismutase is found in all living cells. This ingredient is AKA as 'SOD'.
SOD is a strong antioxidant. It protects living cells against oxidative damage by breaking down radical molecules into regular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide.
Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules that may damage your skin's DNA. This may help with the signs of aging. Due to its antioxidant property, it is used to help treat chronic inflammation.
In cosmetics, SOD is usually obtained from marine phytoplankton, bovine liver, horseradish, cantaloupe, and certain bacteria.
The three major families of SOD include: Copper/Zinc, Iron/Manganese, and Nickel.
When eating SOD-rich foods, our bodies break it down into amino acids before absorption. Foods that contain SOD include: melons, citrus, spinach, broccoli, kale, almonds, sunflower seeds, and blue-green algae.
Learn more about Superoxide DismutaseTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skinās lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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