What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentAspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningCynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
Masking
Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract
TonicSchisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Acorus Calamus Root Extract
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Althaea Rosea Root Extract
HumectantPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
C12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Salicylic Acid, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Schisandra Chinensis Fruit Extract, Acorus Calamus Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Althaea Rosea Root Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Arginine, Allantoin, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum
Saccharomyces/Snail Secretion Filtrate Ferment Filtrate 40.92%
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Plantago Asiatica Extract
Skin ConditioningUlmus Campestris Bark Extract
AstringentDiospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Althaea Rosea Root Extract
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bee Venom
Astringent
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Saccharomyces/Snail Secretion Filtrate Ferment Filtrate 40.92%, Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hexapeptide-9, Hexapeptide-11, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycerin, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Ulmus Campestris Bark Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Althaea Rosea Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglutamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Bee Venom, Allantoin, Adenosine, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
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 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 ExtractWe don't have a description for Althaea Rosea Root Extract yet.
Butylene 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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPolyglutamic Acid is made up many glutamic acids chained together. It is created from bacterial fermentation.
This ingredient is an effective skin hydrator and may help speed up wound healing. As a humectant, it draws and holds water to the skin. This ingredient is often compared to hyaluronic acid or glycerin. Similarly to hyaluronic acid, it can vary in molecular weights. This means polyglutamic acid is capable of bringing hydration to lower levels of the skin.
Fun fact: Polyglutamic Acid is found in the Japanese food, natto. It is also being used in cancer treatment studies.
Learn more about Polyglutamic AcidSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
