What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ethyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 73015
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Paraffinum Liquidum, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Ethyl Macadamiate, Arbutin, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, CI 19140, CI 42090, CI 73015
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingPetrolatum
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pectin
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Honey Extract
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingDisodium EDTA
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
CI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glucose
Humectant
Glutathione
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingDMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Myristate, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pectin, Glyceryl Stearate, Honey Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Disodium EDTA, PEG-40 Stearate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Arginine, Ascorbic Acid, CI 77220, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Glucose, Glutathione, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Chloride, DMDM Hydantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic 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 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 ExtractCeteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl 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 AlcoholCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePeg-40 Stearate is a waxy solid made up of polyethylene glycol and stearic acid. It is an emulsifier and cleanser. Emulsifiers help oils and water mix.
Stearic acid is a a fatty acid. Therefore, Peg-40 stearate may not be fungal-acne safe.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
