What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Dihydroxyacetone
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Erythrulose
TanningPropanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract
MaskingCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dihydroxyacetone, Water, Niacinamide, Erythrulose, Propanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Sodium Phytate, Mica, Sodium Hyaluronate, CI 77491, Phenoxyethanol, Titanium Dioxide, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Tin Oxide
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Dihydroxyacetone
Skin ConditioningErythrulose
TanningDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dihydroxyacetone, Erythrulose, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ascorbic Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Metabisulfite
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 JuiceDihydroxyacetone, or DHA, is the active ingredient in self-tanners.
It's a simply sugar that reacts with the free amino acids in your outermost layer of skin to produce brown-colored compounds called melanoidins.
DHA does not penetrate living skin cells, does not interact with melanocytes, and does not affect actualy melanin production.
There's a "safety controversy" that largely stems from misinterpreted studies:
Once concern is that DHA can generate unstable molecules that can damage cells (free radicals) when exposed to sunlight. This only happens in the outermost layer of dead skin cells and wearing SPF on top takes care of it.
The DNA damage claim comes from lab studies that doused living skin cells in much higher concentrations of DHA than you'd ever find in a self-tanner. That's not really a meaningful comparison to putting self-tanning lotion on your skin.
Regulatory bodies around the world, including the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and the U.S. FDA consider it safe for use in cosmetics when applied topically (maximum 10%, and most self-tanners contain between 3-5%).
Learn more about DihydroxyacetoneWe don't have a description for Erythrulose yet.
Glycerin (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.
Sodium 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
