What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Betaine 2%
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract 1%
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid 0.5%
Humectant
Ceramide AP 0.1%
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingActinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientErythritol
Humectant
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBetaine 2%, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract 1%, Hyaluronic Acid 0.5%, Ceramide AP 0.1%, Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Erythritol, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Phenyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Panthenol, Potassium Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Potassium Cocoate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Sodium Hydroxide
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 Extract is an extract of the leaves of the aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Liliaceae.
Aloe is one of the most well-known natural soothing ingredients, and for good reason. It’s full of water and has a cooling, calming effect on the skin, especially when it’s sunburned, itchy, or irritated. Aloe also helps your skin stay hydrated and smooth by mimicking what healthy skin naturally produces. On top of that, it contains vitamins and nutrients that support skin recovery.Â
It doesn’t protect you from the sun, but it can help your skin bounce back after too much time in it.
Let’s get into the details:
Aloe contains antioxidant Vitamins A, C, and E, which help fight off free radicals (unstable molecules from things like pollution that can damage your skin).
It’s also rich in polysaccharides, which are natural sugars that help hydrate the skin by acting like the skin’s own moisturizing agents. These, along with other sugars like monosaccharides, help form a protective barrier that locks in moisture.
Aloe works as both a humectant and an emollient. That means it draws water into the skin (humectant) and helps trap it there (emollient), making it an effective natural moisturizer.
You’ll also find a mix of other skin-supporting ingredients in aloe, including folic acid, choline, calcium, amino acids, fatty acids, and even Vitamin B12.
Out of the 420+ species of aloe, Aloe barbadensis is the most widely used in skincare products thanks to its gentle yet effective properties.
There are over 420 species of aloe but Aloe Barbadensis is the most commonly used for topical products.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractCeramide AP is a type of Ceramide.
Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. Having a strong skin barrier leads to more firm and hydrated skin.
They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin. By bolstering the skin ceramides act as a barrier against irritating ingredients. This can help with inflammation as well.
If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.
Read more about other common types of ceramides here:
Ceramide NP
Ceramide EOP
Ceramide EOP is a type of Ceramide.
EOP stands for a linked Ester fatty acid, a linked Omega hydroxy fatty acid, and the Phytosphingosine base.
Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin. They bind dead skin cells together to create a barrier. The ceramides in our skin have the ability to hold water to keep our skin hydrated.
Ceramides are an important building block for our skin barrier. A strong skin barrier helps with:
If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.
Read more about other common types of ceramides here:
Learn more about Ceramide EOPCeramide NP is a type of ceramide.
Ceramides are intercellular lipids naturally found in our skin that bonds dead skin cells together to create a barrier. They are known for their ability to hold water and thus are a great ingredient for dry skin.
Ceramides are an important building block for our skin barrier. A stronger barrier helps the skin look more firm and hydrated. By bolstering the skin ceramides act as a barrier against irritating ingredients. This can help with inflammation as well.
If you would like to eat ceramides, sweet potatoes contain a small amount.
Read more about other common types of ceramides here:
Ceramide AP
Ceramide EOP
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Phytosphingosine is a phospholipid naturally found in our skin as a building block for ceramides.. It helps moisturize, soothe, and protect skin.
Phytosphingosine contributes to your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF). The NMF is responsible for hydration, a strong barrier, and plasticity. Our NMF decreases with age. Increasing NMF leads to more healthy and hydrated skin.
Studies show products formulated with NMF ingredients help strengthen our skin's barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier reduces irritation and increases hydration. Our skin barrier is responsible for having plump and firm skin. It also helps protect our skin against infection, allergies, and inflammation.
Fun fact: Phytosphingosine is abundant in plants and fungi.
More ingredients that help boost collagen in skin:
Learn more about PhytosphingosineSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium Lauroyl Lactylate is the lauric acid sodium salt of lactyl lactate.
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate is an emulsifier and surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. They do this by preventing ingredients from separating, such as oils and water which do not mix naturally. Surfactants reduce surface tension, making it easier to rinse pollutants off skin.
Due to its relation to lauric acid, it may provide antimicrobial benefits.
Learn more about Sodium Lauroyl LactylateWater. 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. 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
