What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Macropiper Excelsum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Citral
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Macropiper Excelsum Leaf Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Parfum, Citral, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCarrageenan
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Syzygium Luehmannii Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Acronychia Acidula Fruit Extract
HumectantDavidsonia Jerseyana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Carrageenan, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Syzygium Luehmannii Fruit Extract, Acronychia Acidula Fruit Extract, Davidsonia Jerseyana Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate
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 JuiceBenzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholThis 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 ButterCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric 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 AcidDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.
Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SeSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.
As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.
This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.
Learn more about Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
