What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cannabis Sativa Seed Extract
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex
Antioxidant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Phytate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cannabis Sativa Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Alcohol, Parfum, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Leucojum Aestivum Bulb Extract
Skin ProtectingQuillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLinalyl Acetate
Masking
Pinene
Masking
Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Surfactin
CleansingUbiquinone
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Leucojum Aestivum Bulb Extract, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Linalyl Acetate, Pinene, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Surfactin, Ubiquinone, Alcohol, Calcium Gluconate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholAloe 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 JuiceCitric 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 AcidGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolSodium 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 BenzoateSodium 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 Water
