What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polyglycerin-6
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glyceryl Ether
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingBetaine
Humectant
Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Glycerin, Polyglycerin-6, Pentylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Azelaic Acid, Propanediol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Betaine, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAzelaic Acid
Buffering
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
Betaine
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
PCA
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGlycine
Buffering
Polyglycerin-6
HumectantGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Orthosiphon Stamineus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Proline
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Azelaic Acid, Inulin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Phenoxyethanol, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Chlorphenesin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Caprylyl Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Sulfite, PCA, Lactic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Sodium Benzoate, Alanine, Sodium Chloride, Glycine, Polyglycerin-6, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Potassium Sorbate, Orthosiphon Stamineus Leaf Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Proline, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid
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 JuiceAzelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic AcidBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itβs known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Polyglycerin-6 yet.
Sodium 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 BenzoateWater. 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
