What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Princeps Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Zea Mays Kernel Extract
Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Acetate
Skin ConditioningEthanolamine
BufferingCitral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Artemisia Princeps Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Acetate, Ethanolamine, Citral, Limonene, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is a botanical extract pulled from the leaves of aloe vera and one of the most studied plant ingredients in cosmetics.
The inner leaf gel it comes from is mostly water (~99-99.5%) and the remaining fraction is made up of pretty good stuff: polysaccharides, vitamins, phenolics, and enzymes.
Its headline job is hydration.
The star polysaccharide in aloe, acemannan, is a humectant that retains moisture and helps reduce trans-epidermal water loss.
Aloe also has real soothing credentials; it contains anti-inflammatory compounds like bradykinase and C-glucosyl chromone that help calm irritation and redness.
On the repair side, lab work shows that acemannan wakes up your skin's repair cells (fibroblasts), prompting them to multiply and speed up healing.
There's some human data for cosmetic benefit too: a cream containing 10% Aloe Barbadensis leaf extract improved skin hydration and elasticity in a real-use study.
Safety-wise, this ingredient is well-regarded with just one rare downside; there have been some case reports of acute eczema, contact urticaria, and dermatitis in people who applied aloe-derived ingredients topically. Those with a known aloe or Liliaceae sensitivity should patch test.
Typical use levels range widely, from under 1% up to 90%+ depending on the format and the effect you are after.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
