What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Butylene Glycol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Niacinamide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Beta-Glucan, Propanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Trioleate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Propanediol
Solvent
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tetrasodium EDTA
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Formic Acid
Preservative
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Trioleate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Decyl Glucoside, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Propanediol, Laureth-4, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sorbic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Formic Acid, Maltodextrin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene
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 PowderCitric 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 AcidCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
