What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract 90%
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDiglycerin
Humectant
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Glucose
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bambusa Vulgaris Water
Skin ConditioningBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Angelica Keiskei Extract
Antioxidant
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Artemisia Annua Extract
Masking
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract 90%, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Diglycerin, C14-22 Alcohols, Carbomer, Polysorbate 60, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Potassium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Glucose, Panthenol, Bambusa Vulgaris Water, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Angelica Keiskei Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Artemisia Annua Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment, Parfum
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 a botanical extract pulled from the leaves of aloe vera and one of the most studied plant ingredients in cosmetics.
The inner leaf gel it comes from is mostly water (~99-99.5%) and the remaining fraction is made up of pretty good stuff: polysaccharides, vitamins, phenolics, and enzymes.
Its headline job is hydration.
The star polysaccharide in aloe, acemannan, is a humectant that retains moisture and helps reduce trans-epidermal water loss.
Aloe also has real soothing credentials; it contains anti-inflammatory compounds like bradykinase and C-glucosyl chromone that help calm irritation and redness.
On the repair side, lab work shows that acemannan wakes up your skin's repair cells (fibroblasts), prompting them to multiply and speed up healing.
There's some human data for cosmetic benefit too: a cream containing 10% Aloe Barbadensis leaf extract improved skin hydration and elasticity in a real-use study.
Safety-wise, this ingredient is well-regarded with just one rare downside; there have been some case reports of acute eczema, contact urticaria, and dermatitis in people who applied aloe-derived ingredients topically. Those with a known aloe or Liliaceae sensitivity should patch test.
Typical use levels range widely, from under 1% up to 90%+ depending on the format and the effect you are after.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
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 Glycerin
