What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Kaolin
Abrasive
Mel
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Triethanolamine
BufferingParfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Kaolin, Mel, Glycerin, Carbomer, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Parfum, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf
Skin ConditioningLz1 Peptide
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
Emollient
PEG-35 Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cera Alba
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Corylus Avellana Seed Oil
Emollient
Camphor
Masking
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingFagus Sylvatica Bud Extract
TonicTocopheryl Acetate 0.2%
Antioxidant
Borneol
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil
Cupressus Sempervirens Oil
Masking
Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf, Lz1 Peptide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Water, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, PEG-35 Castor Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cera Alba, Cetyl Alcohol, Corylus Avellana Seed Oil, Camphor, Sclerotium Gum, Carbomer, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate 0.2%, Borneol, Sodium Hydroxide, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Oil, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Coumarin
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 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 AlcoholCarbomer 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 CarbomerCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 StearateWater. 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
