What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Kaempferia Galanga Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingDisodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Water, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide Mipa, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Glycol Distearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Kaempferia Galanga Root Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharide Isomerate, Panthenol, Glycerin, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Avena Sativa Bran
Abrasive
Avena Sativa Bran Extract
Abrasive
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Glycereth-26, Glycol Distearate, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Avena Sativa Bran, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorphenesin, 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 ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycol Distearate serves as a pearlizing or opacifying agent in cosmetic products.
It's often included in cleansers and haircare products to give them a lustrous or shimmering appearance.
It is derived from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils and animal fats.
Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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 HydroxideWater. 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
