What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingElettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningMalachite Extract
Antioxidant
Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract
HumectantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Citrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Santalum Album Wood Extract
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Cananga Odorata Flower Extract
Perfuming
Citrus Grandis Peel Extract
Astringent
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Rose Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentCarbomer/Papain Crosspolymer
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMorinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Malachite Extract, Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Santalum Album Wood Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Cananga Odorata Flower Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Rose Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Carbomer/Papain Crosspolymer, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Sorbate, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Alcohol, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Salix Alba Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Glycosaminoglycans
EmollientPapain
Skin ConditioningCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf
Perfuming
Vitis Vinifera
MaskingSymphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower
Skin Conditioning
Echinacea Angustifolia Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Diazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Water, Carbomer, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycosaminoglycans, Papain, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Vitis Vinifera, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower, Echinacea Angustifolia Meristem Cell Culture, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Panthenol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum
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 Extract is an extract of the leaves of the aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Liliaceae.
Aloe is one of the most well-known natural soothing ingredients, and for good reason. It’s full of water and has a cooling, calming effect on the skin, especially when it’s sunburned, itchy, or irritated. Aloe also helps your skin stay hydrated and smooth by mimicking what healthy skin naturally produces. On top of that, it contains vitamins and nutrients that support skin recovery.Â
It doesn’t protect you from the sun, but it can help your skin bounce back after too much time in it.
Let’s get into the details:
Aloe contains antioxidant Vitamins A, C, and E, which help fight off free radicals (unstable molecules from things like pollution that can damage your skin).
It’s also rich in polysaccharides, which are natural sugars that help hydrate the skin by acting like the skin’s own moisturizing agents. These, along with other sugars like monosaccharides, help form a protective barrier that locks in moisture.
Aloe works as both a humectant and an emollient. That means it draws water into the skin (humectant) and helps trap it there (emollient), making it an effective natural moisturizer.
You’ll also find a mix of other skin-supporting ingredients in aloe, including folic acid, choline, calcium, amino acids, fatty acids, and even Vitamin B12.
Out of the 420+ species of aloe, Aloe barbadensis is the most widely used in skincare products thanks to its gentle yet effective properties.
There are over 420 species of aloe but Aloe Barbadensis is the most commonly used for topical products.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract comes from the pineapple fruit. Pineapples are native to South America. The components of pineapple give it mild exfoliating and skin nourishing properties.
Pineapples contain Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, copper, potassium, niacin, and other minerals. It also contains many phytochemicals, including ferulic acid, coumaric acid, arbutin, and more. These help condition the skin.
Bromelain can be found in all parts of a pineapple. It is a mixture of enzymes and is mildly exfoliating.
Learn more about Ananas Sativus Fruit ExtractAscorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C and is the biologically active form used directly by skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, but it also has plenty of benefits for your skin. It is best supported by academic literature for:
Topical vitamin C has been shown to help neutralize oxidative stress from UV and pollution, helping to improve photoaging and hyperpigmentation when used consistently.
One clinical study found that using 5% topical vitamin C for six months improved signs of photodamaged skin, both on the surface and in the deeper structural layers of the skin.
While vitamin C doesn’t replace sunscreen, studies show it can boost photoprotection when combined with Vitamin E and ferulic acid. These two ingredients help improve stability and protective effects.
The big downside of this ingredient is formulation difficulty. Vitamin C is prone to oxidation and doesn't penetrate the skin unless formulated correctly. Research found that vitamin C absorbs into the skin best at a low pH (< 3.5) with about 20% being the upper limit for effective absorption.
Skin levels can saturate after repeated application; this means your skin won’t keep absorbing more once it’s full of vitamin C. This is why more isn’t always better with vitamin C and why very high concentrations don’t necessarily give extra benefits.
Ascorbic acid generally works well with many skincare ingredients but can be irritating when combined with other active ingredients. Strong oxidizing acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide can reduce the effectiveness of vitamin C if they are used at the same time; they are often recommended for use at different times of day.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinRetinyl palmitate is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the superstar class of anti-aging ingredients that include tretinoin and retinol.
This particular ingredient has had a bumpy year with its rise and fall in popularity.
First, Retinyl palmitate is created from palmitic acid and retinol. It is a retinol ester and considered one of the weaker forms of retinoid.
This is because all retinoids have to be converted to Tretinoin, AKA retinoic acid. Retinyl Palmitate is pretty far down the line and has to go through multiple conversions before its effects are seen.
Due to this long and ineffective conversion line, the benefits of Retinyl Palmitate are debated.
Studies show Retinyl Palmitate to help:
Dermatologists say this ingredient is ineffective because it isn't used in high enough concentrations in cosmetics.
This ingredient used to be found in sunscreens to boost the efficacy of sunscreen filters.
The downfall of Retinyl Palmitate was due to released reports about the ingredient being correlated to sun damage and skin tumors.
While there is a study showing this ingredient to cause DNA damage when exposed to UV-A, there is no concrete proof of it being linked to skin cancer. It is safe to use when used correctly.
All retinoids increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun in the first few months of usage. Be especially careful with reapplying sunscreen when using any form of retinoid.
Currently, this ingredient is still allowed in cosmetics all over the world. In Canada, cosmetics must have a warning label stating the product to contain Retinyl Palmitate
Fun fact: This ingredient is often added to low-fat milk to increase the levels of Vitamin A.
Learn more about Retinyl PalmitateSodium 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
