What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDihydroxyacetone
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Erythrulose
TanningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Methyl Ionones
MaskingWater, Dihydroxyacetone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Caffeine, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 20, Erythrulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Maltodextrin, Alcohol, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Methyl Ionones
Water
Skin ConditioningDihydroxyacetone
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Erythrulose
TanningRubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Dihydroxyacetone, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Erythrulose, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caramel, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 80, Parfum, Limonene, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
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 JuiceDihydroxyacetone, or DHA, is the active ingredient in self-tanners.
It's a simply sugar that reacts with the free amino acids in your outermost layer of skin to produce brown-colored compounds called melanoidins.
DHA does not penetrate living skin cells, does not interact with melanocytes, and does not affect actualy melanin production.
There's a "safety controversy" that largely stems from misinterpreted studies:
Once concern is that DHA can generate unstable molecules that can damage cells (free radicals) when exposed to sunlight. This only happens in the outermost layer of dead skin cells and wearing SPF on top takes care of it.
The DNA damage claim comes from lab studies that doused living skin cells in much higher concentrations of DHA than you'd ever find in a self-tanner. That's not really a meaningful comparison to putting self-tanning lotion on your skin.
Regulatory bodies around the world, including the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and the U.S. FDA consider it safe for use in cosmetics when applied topically (maximum 10%, and most self-tanners contain between 3-5%).
Learn more about DihydroxyacetoneWe don't have a description for Erythrulose yet.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
