What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Dihydroxyacetone
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Ceteareth-20
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoumarin
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Limonene
Perfuming
Hc Yellow No. 18
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Isopropyl Myristate, Dihydroxyacetone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Propanediol, Ceteareth-20, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Metabisulfite, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coumarin, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Hc Yellow No. 18
Water
Skin ConditioningDihydroxyacetone
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Erythrulose
TanningCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Dihydroxyacetone, Propylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Pericarp Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera Water, Glycerin, Erythrulose, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Metabisulfite, Ascorbic Acid, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, CI 42090, CI 19140, CI 14700, Phenoxyethanol
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 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 ExtractDihydroxyacetone, 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 DihydroxyacetoneEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Phenoxyethanol 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 metabisulfite is also known as Sodium Pyrosulfite. It is a preservative, antioxidant, and disinfectant.
As a preservative, it helps stabilize cosmetic formulas without affecting their color or scent.
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
