What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Laureth-23
Cleansing
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPetrolatum
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Cocoglycerides, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycol Distearate, Colloidal Oatmeal, Laureth-23, CI 77891, Petrolatum, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Potassium Sorbate, Carbomer, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydrastis Canadensis Extract
MaskingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingSodium Acetate
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Parfum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Hydrastis Canadensis Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Potassium Sorbate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Sodium Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, 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 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 JuiceThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
