What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lecithin
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Niacinamide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Parfum, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Geraniol, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Pullulan
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
Abrasive
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Resveratrol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bakuchiol, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Bisabolol, Azelaic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Saccharide Isomerate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Lecithin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Caffeine, Sodium Bisulfite, Sodium Lactate, Pullulan, Sodium PCA, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Citrate
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 comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPentylene 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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
