What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
CleansingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Calanthe Discolor Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentHydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Grandis Peel Extract
Astringent
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract
Cleansing
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Bud Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Fruit Extract
Abrasive
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicSalicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientArginine
Masking
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLysolecithin
EmulsifyingSilica
Abrasive
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPullulan
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Squalene
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Propanediol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Calanthe Discolor Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Bud Extract, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Astaxanthin, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Glyceryl Caprylate, Arginine, Levulinic Acid, Sclerotium Gum, Lysolecithin, Silica, Sodium Levulinate, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Beta-Sitosterol, Calcium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Gluconolactone, Squalene, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglycerin-3
Humectant
Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cera Alba, Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglycerin-3, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tocopherol, Tropolone, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
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 Powder comes from the aloe plant.
You may know Aloe to be a good sunburn reliever and inflammation reducer. This is because it contains many components that are known to help reduce irritation and itchiness.
Aloe leaves are also great moisturizers. They are naturally rich in polysaccharides, a carbohydrate made of sugars. Polysaccharides are able to mimic the carbs found in the top layer of your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
Aloe contains the antioxidants Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins neutralize free radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe does not protect against UV rays, despite it soothing sunburns.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice PowderThis 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 ButterCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateGlycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
