What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPEG-4 Rapeseedamide
Cocamidopropylamine Oxide
CleansingParfum
MaskingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingCoconut Acid
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Triethylene Glycol
MaskingBenzoic Acid
MaskingAlcohol
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantLinum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
PerfumingOctadecyl Di-T-Butyl-4-Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantJuniperus Communis Fruit Extract
PerfumingOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Corymbosum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
CleansingCanola Oil
EmollientWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-4 Rapeseedamide, Cocamidopropylamine Oxide, Parfum, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Coconut Acid, Disodium EDTA, Triethylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopheryl Acetate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Octadecyl Di-T-Butyl-4-Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Juniperus Communis Fruit Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Corymbosum Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Canola Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C16 Olefin Sulfonate
EmulsifyingCoco-Betaine
CleansingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalvia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Sodium C16 Olefin Sulfonate, Coco-Betaine, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Gluconate, Lactic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Extract
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 JuiceGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis is a botanical extract from the rosemary plant (the same one you cook with). In skincare, it mostly works as a skin conditioning agent.
Its activity comes from a handful of polyphenols, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. Almost 90% of the antioxidant activity of this ingredient can be attributed to canosol and carnosic acid.
These compounds protect your skin two ways:
1) They fight off free radicals, or the unstable molecules from things like sun and pollution that age and damage skin.
2) They help calm inflammation by switching off the chemical signals that tell skin to get red and irritated.
Lab studies also suggest that rosmarinic acid may help protect collagen and slow sugar-related damage to it.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.
Rosemary can occasionally cause allergic contact dermatitis (due to carnosol), so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or fragrance-sensitive skin.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractWater. 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