What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Pvp, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arginine, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Dendrobium Nobile Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Sophora Flavescens Root Extract
Antioxidant
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Pvp, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Silica, Glycerin, Trehalose, Dendrobium Nobile Stem Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopherol
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is an extract of the leaves of the aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Liliaceae.
Aloe is one of the most well-known natural soothing ingredients, and for good reason. It’s full of water and has a cooling, calming effect on the skin, especially when it’s sunburned, itchy, or irritated. Aloe also helps your skin stay hydrated and smooth by mimicking what healthy skin naturally produces. On top of that, it contains vitamins and nutrients that support skin recovery.Â
It doesn’t protect you from the sun, but it can help your skin bounce back after too much time in it.
Let’s get into the details:
Aloe contains antioxidant Vitamins A, C, and E, which help fight off free radicals (unstable molecules from things like pollution that can damage your skin).
It’s also rich in polysaccharides, which are natural sugars that help hydrate the skin by acting like the skin’s own moisturizing agents. These, along with other sugars like monosaccharides, help form a protective barrier that locks in moisture.
Aloe works as both a humectant and an emollient. That means it draws water into the skin (humectant) and helps trap it there (emollient), making it an effective natural moisturizer.
You’ll also find a mix of other skin-supporting ingredients in aloe, including folic acid, choline, calcium, amino acids, fatty acids, and even Vitamin B12.
Out of the 420+ species of aloe, Aloe barbadensis is the most widely used in skincare products thanks to its gentle yet effective properties.
There are over 420 species of aloe but Aloe Barbadensis is the most commonly used for topical products.
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePvp is a water-soluble synthetic polymer and common hairstyling ingredient. It is a film-forming ingredient and used to "hold" specific shapes of hair.
In cosmetics, PVP helps products like sunscreens and color cosmetics last longer and wear more evenly.
It is less effective in high-humidity. It tends to draw moisture, but this moisture dismantles the structure and "hold".
PVP is generally well tolerated on skin and toxicity studies are negative for dermal irritation.
Learn more about PvpWater. 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
