What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Bacillus
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitrus Tangerina Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Tocopherol, Stearic Acid, Myristyl Myristate, Tapioca Starch, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Bacillus, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Squalane, Allantoin, Panthenol, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract
MaskingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Laurate, Stearic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Allantoin, Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinAloe 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 JuiceCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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
