What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Stearate
CleansingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Gellan Gum
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Silybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialArnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
CI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Kaolin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Gellan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Silybum Marianum Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorphenesin, Sorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid, CI 77288
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 40
Emulsifying
CI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantPEG-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Tea-Stearate
CleansingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialJuglans Regia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningNasturtium Officinale Extract
Perfuming
Pimpinella Anisum Fruit Extract
MaskingBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Kaolin, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Palmitic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 40, CI 77220, PEG-2 Stearate, Tea-Stearate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tapioca Starch, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Juglans Regia Seed Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Pimpinella Anisum Fruit Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tocopheryl Acetate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Magnesium Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sorbic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidGlycerin (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 OilKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
While Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil can be volatile due to its fragrant properties, the fragrance components are usually removed in the leaf extract.
Rosemary Leaf Extract contains many antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid. Rosemarinic acid, a compound found in rosemary leaf, has been found to help soothe skin conditions such as eczema and acne.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractSorbic Acid is a preservative. It is the most commonly used food preservative in the world.
Sorbic Acid is a natural antibiotic and highly effective at preventing the growth of fungus. It is less effective against bacteria.
Potassium Sorbate, another commonly-used preservative, is the potassium salt of Sorbic Acid.
Sorbic Acid may worsen eczema. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
Learn more about Sorbic AcidStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate
