What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Punica Granatum Seed Oil
Emollient
Vaccinium Myrtillus Bud Extract
Antioxidant
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Epilobium Angustifolium Extract
Skin ConditioningPichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ubiquinone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Vaccinium Myrtillus Bud Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Glycolic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantSpinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Medicago Sativa Extract
TonicAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Spirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine
Skin Conditioning
Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Chloride
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Medicago Sativa Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Lecithin, Ascorbic Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Magnesium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
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 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 ExtractCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.
This ingredient has many skin benefits:
This ingredient contains polyphenols, a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight off molecules that damage skin cells.
On top of that, the antioxidants in green tea neutralize free-radicals from the sun. This gives the skin some extra UV protection, but should not replace sunscreen.
Many components of tea have anti-inflammatory properties.
Polyphenols and L-theanine help soothe the skin and reduce irritation. The caffeine in Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract helps calm inflamed blood vessels.
Other compounds found in tea include: Vitamin Bs, linoleic acid, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc.
Research has shown both drinking Camellia Sinensis Leaf Tea and applying it to the skin can help boost skin elasticity and hydration. Studies also show using tea extract may reduce sebum, or oil, production.
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractCetyl 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 (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
It is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.
As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.
In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe
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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.
As an emollient, stearic acid helps soften skin. It aids the skin's protective barrier by preventing water loss. It also provides a gentle cleansing effect without stripping away natural oils.
Stearic acid may also be used to enhance the texture of products. It can add volume and stabilize ingredients such as water and oil. This can help water and oil ingredients from separating.
Sources of stearic acid include animal or vegetable fats/oils such as coconut or shea. It can be naturally found in butter, cocoa butter, shea butter, vegetable fats, and animal tallow.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopheryl 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
