What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Acetamidoethoxyethanol
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Xylitol
Humectant
Triethylene Glycol
Masking
Glucose
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycerin, Acetamidoethoxyethanol, Gluconolactone, PEG-150 Distearate, Propanediol, Glycol Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Panthenol, Zinc PCA, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Propylene Glycol, Parfum, Xylitol, Triethylene Glycol, Glucose, Sodium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
C13-15 Alkane
SolventCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Water, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, C13-15 Alkane, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Salicylic Acid, Zinc Gluconate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
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. Itâs full of water and has a cooling, calming effect on the skin, especially when itâs 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 doesnât protect you from the sun, but it can help your skin bounce back after too much time in it.
Letâs 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).
Itâs also rich in polysaccharides, which are natural sugars that help hydrate the skin by acting like the skinâs 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.
Youâll 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of âFRAGRANCEâ or âPARFUMâ according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPropylene 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 GlycolSodium 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
