What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sea Silt
Skin ConditioningBentonite
Absorbent
Kaolin
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Seed
Exfoliating
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Vegetable Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Quartz
Abrasive
Crambe Maritima Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sea Silt, Bentonite, Kaolin, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Phenethyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cucumis Sativus Seed, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Vegetable Oil, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Quartz, Crambe Maritima Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitrus Aurantium Amara Peel Powder
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLecithin
Emollient
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Aronia Arbutifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAristotelia Chilensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPetroselinum Crispum Leaf Extract
Perfuming
CI 75810
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Kaolin, Glycerin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 60, Phenoxyethanol, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Powder, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Lecithin, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Aronia Arbutifolia Fruit Extract, Aristotelia Chilensis Fruit Extract, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Propanediol, Chlorphenesin, Sorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Petroselinum Crispum Leaf Extract, CI 75810
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 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 JuiceCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinThis ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolXanthan 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
