What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-10
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningNiacin
SmoothingPantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningRiboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantThiamine Hcl
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingUrtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-11
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Polyquaternium-39
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoumarin
Perfuming
Silk Amino Acids
HumectantHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Parfum, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-10, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Pyridoxine Hcl, Riboflavin, Thiamine Hcl, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Persea Gratissima Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 60, Polyquaternium-11, Benzyl Benzoate, Polyquaternium-39, Cetrimonium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coumarin, Silk Amino Acids, Hexyl Cinnamal, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Sulfite
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 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 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about Phenoxyethanol
