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What's inside

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

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Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness Icon

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Emollient
0 / 0 Oil IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Bleaching
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Citrus Limon Peel Extract

Emollient

Cymbopogon Citratus Extract

Skin Conditioning

Salix Alba Bark Extract

Astringent
Helps reduce irritation IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning
Good for Dark Spots Icon

Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract

Skin Conditioning

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Antimicrobial

Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract

Cleansing

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Barrier Repair Icon

Water

Skin Conditioning

Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Gluconolactone

Skin Conditioning
PHA IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Alcohol Denat.

Antimicrobial
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Bromelain

Skin Conditioning
Good for Skin Texture Icon

Hamamelis Virginiana Water

Astringent
Can worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Tranexamic Acid

Astringent
Tranexamic Acid IconHelps brighten skin IconHelps reduce irritation IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil

Masking
Oil IconEssential Oil IconFragrance Icon

Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Frangula Alnus Bark Extract

Skin Conditioning

Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil

Masking
Oil IconEssential Oil IconFragrance Icon

Citrus Limon Peel Oil

Masking
Oil IconEssential Oil IconFragrance IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Curcuma Longa Root Extract

Masking
Fragrance Icon

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside

Cleansing

Heptyl Glucoside

Surfactant

Acacia Senegal Gum

Masking

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient
Fatty Alcohol Icon

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Arginine

Masking
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Sorbitan Caprylate

Emulsifying

Ascorbic Acid

Antioxidant
Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Scar Healing IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Skin Texture Icon

Tropolone

Skin Conditioning

Parfum

Masking
Synthetic Fragrance IconFragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract

Helps reduce irritation Icon

Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract

Skin Conditioning

Citrus Limon Juice

Skin Conditioning
May cause irritation Icon

Adansonia Digitata Fruit Extract

Emollient

Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract

Skin Conditioning
Helps reduce irritation Icon

Cocos Nucifera Water

Masking
Coconut Derived IconHelps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps reduce irritation Icon

Maltodextrin

Absorbent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract

Astringent
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Thioctic Acid

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconHelps brighten skin IconGood for Scar Healing Icon

Ubiquinone

Antioxidant
Antioxidant IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking

Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.

The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).

This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.

However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.

Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.

This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.

Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.

Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.

The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.

One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).

Also...

This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.

The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.

Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.

This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.

Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.

Learn more about Alcohol Denat.
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting

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 Glycerin
Skin Conditioning

Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract is extract from peppermint leaves. It has a "cooling" sensory feel depending on what compounds are found in the extract.

Peppermint leaves contain polyphenols that antioxidant activity. In-vitro studies show anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity against some bacteria and fungi.

Evidence for mint as a "treatment" ingredient is limited and depends heavily on the specific extract type and concentration.

In large percentages, peppermint extract may sensitize the skin.

Learn more about Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial, Masking, Skin Conditioning

This is a botanical extract from the rosemary plant (the same one you cook with). In skincare, it mostly works as a skin conditioning agent.

Its activity comes from a handful of polyphenols, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid. Almost 90% of the antioxidant activity of this ingredient can be attributed to canosol and carnosic acid.

These compounds protect your skin two ways:

1) They fight off free radicals, or the unstable molecules from things like sun and pollution that age and damage skin.
2) They help calm inflammation by switching off the chemical signals that tell skin to get red and irritated.

Lab studies also suggest that rosmarinic acid may help protect collagen and slow sugar-related damage to it.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded rosemary-derived ingredients to be safe when formulated to be non-sensitizing.

Rosemary can occasionally cause allergic contact dermatitis (due to carnosol), so be sure to patch test if you have reactive or fragrance-sensitive skin.

Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Astringent, Skin Conditioning, Soothing

Salix Alba Bark Extract comes from the bark of the white willow tree. The official CosIng listing states this ingredient to have astringent, skin conditioning, soothing, and tonic properties.

Its star compound is salicin, a natural glucoside that is chemically related to salicylic acid. That's why you'll often see it marketed as a "natural BHA alternative" but that's a bit of a stretch.

Your skin can't convert salicin to salicylic acid because it needs specific enzymes that aren't present on the skin's surface. It won't behave like true salicylic acid, especially at the concentrations used in cosmetics.

However, this ingredient has its own perks. It contains flavonoids, polyphenols, and tannins that give it proven antioxidant and soothing properties.

An 8-week clinical study found a cream with 2% of this extract improved skin microcirculation, elasticity, and dark circles. This is most likely due to its role in increasing hyaluronic acid synthesis in fibroblasts and improved vascular integrity.

Another study found a topical serum with 0.5% salicin showed improvements in visible signs of aging, hyperpigmentation, and texture.

Just be careful if you have a known aspirin/salicylate allergy and be sure to consult with a medical professional about using this ingredient if you do.

Fun fact: Willow Bark extract has been used for thousands of years and ancient civilizations used white willow to help treat pain and fevers.

Learn more about Salix Alba Bark Extract
Cleansing, Skin Conditioning, Tonic

Sage leaf extract is a culinary and medicinal herb with antibacterial, antioxidant, and soothing properties.

This ingredient is made up of 75-90% ursolic acid, a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. 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

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