What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGallyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSqualane
Emollient
Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningAllantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Arbutin, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Gallyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Petrolatum, Phenoxyethanol, Propyl Gallate, Sodium Hydroxide, Squalane, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Water
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Lonicera Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningC13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Phytate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Squalane, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Leaf Extract, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Phytate, Panthenol, Ubiquinone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum
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 is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.
In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.
This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.
Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.
Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.
Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).
The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about Squalane
