What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningPEG-180
HumectantPEG-32
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Coceth-7
EmulsifyingPPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether
EmulsifyingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, PEG-180, PEG-32, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Coceth-7, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Butylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Maltitol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Erythritol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract
CleansingPelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Diethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Maltitol, Butylene Glycol, Erythritol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Squalane, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid
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 ExtractButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 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.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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 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
