What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentPelargonium Graveolens Extract
Masking
Taraxacum Officinale Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate
CleansingDisodium 2-Sulfolaurate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Centella Asiatica Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Extract, Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Benzoate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Levulinate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium PCA, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingZinc PCA
Humectant
Charcoal Powder
Abrasive
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
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 Juice is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.
In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.
This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.
Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.
Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.
Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).
The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Oleate is the monoester of glycerin and oleic acid. It is a skin-conditioning emollient that also helps form emulsions.
What makes glyceryl oleate special is its "re-fatting" effect.
When you wash your hair and skin with a surfactant-based cleanser, the surfactants grab onto everything. This includes your skin's natural lipids, or the fats that live in your skin barrier and sebum. Once you rinse these surfactants away, it leaves your skin feeling tight, dry, and clean (in a not-good way).
Re-fatting is essentially putting some of these lipids back. Glyceryl oleate deposits a thin layer of emollient lipids back on the skin or hair surface reduce some of the barrier damage.
Also, glyceryl oleate isn't a foreign molecule to your skin. It's chemically identical to something your skin already produces and manages naturally. This is why it tends to be well-tolerated with low risk of irritation.
Typical use levels range from 0.5-5%.
Glyceryl Oleate has a function of "perfuming" in the CosIng database. This just means that the ingredient has some scent character that can contribute to the product's overall smell.
The scent of this ingredient is described as "waxy".
As an ester of oleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. This is because oleic acid falls into the carbon-chain length that Malassezia can use as a substrate.
Learn more about Glyceryl OleateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium Benzoate
