What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Liquid Endosperm
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phytic Acid
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tapioca Starch
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Lecithin, Cocos Nucifera Liquid Endosperm, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Hyaluronate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Phytic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Citric Acid, Tapioca Starch, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
C15-19 Alkane
SolventC9-12 Alkane
SolventCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract
Skin ProtectingMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Butylene Glycol, C15-19 Alkane, C9-12 Alkane, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Glycerin, Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Lauryl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
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 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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium 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
