What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Algin
Alaria Esculenta Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, C10-18 Triglycerides, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Hydrolyzed Algin, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Seed Oil
Inonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 PCA
EmollientWater, Pentylene Glycol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Isoamyl Laurate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ectoin, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Camellia Seed Oil, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Sodium Hyaluronate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium Gluconate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 PCA
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 Powder comes from the aloe plant.
You may know Aloe to be a good sunburn reliever and inflammation reducer. This is because it contains many components that are known to help reduce irritation and itchiness.
Aloe leaves are also great moisturizers. They are naturally rich in polysaccharides, a carbohydrate made of sugars. Polysaccharides are able to mimic the carbs found in the top layer of your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
Aloe contains the antioxidants Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins neutralize free radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe does not protect against UV rays, despite it soothing sunburns.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice PowderThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCitric 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 AcidCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is created from fatty coconut alcohol, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is a lightweight emollient. Emollients create a thin barrier on the skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated and soft.
Once applied, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is absorbed quickly and leaves a silky feel.
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilSodium 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 HyaluronateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
