What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100
HumectantPEG-100 Stearate
Stearic Acid
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantOleth-20
CleansingAcrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer
Dimethyl Mea
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeImidazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Ascorbic Acid
AntioxidantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingAlgae Extract
EmollientMel
EmollientPullulan
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oleth-20, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Dimethyl Mea, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Disodium EDTA, Ascorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Algae Extract, Mel, Pullulan
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHexyl Laurate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningNylon-12
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMyristoyl Pentapeptide-8
Skin ConditioningMyristoyl Pentapeptide-11
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-22
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-9
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-4
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTocopheryl Linoleate
AntioxidantSqualane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientSodium PCA
HumectantC12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPEG-8
HumectantHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientSodium Oleate
CleansingTocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeDiazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeImidazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Hexyl Laurate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Stearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Sorbitan Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Nylon-12, Sodium Hyaluronate, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-8, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-11, Sh-Polypeptide-22, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Oligopeptide-4, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Squalane, Dimethicone, Sodium PCA, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-8, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Oleate, Tocopheryl Linoleate/Oleate, Parfum, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Eugenol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea
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 comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceAscorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. This form makes up the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin.
Not only is vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, it also has plenty of benefits on your skin.
Vitamin C is best used for brightening skin. It improves dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. This is because it blocks the process of skin darkening when exposed to UV.
Remember: Vitamin C should not replace sunscreen!
Your skin uses vitamin C to build collagen. Collagen is one key component in having a strong skin barrier and plump skin. Vitamin C also plays a role in regulating collagen, thus making it effective in improving wrinkles and fine lines.
Ascorbic acid shows potent antioxidant activity. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. These antioxidants also protect skin against UV damage.
The best formulations include Vitamin E and/or ferulic acid. These two ingredients help stabilize and provide a boost in the benefits of ascorbic acid. This is because ascorbic acid becomes unstable when exposed to UV and air. In fact, you can tell your ascorbic acid has oxidized when it turns an orange-yellow color.
Ascorbic acid is generally compatible with other ingredients. However, using ascorbic acid with other active ingredients might cause irritation. Two ingredients: copper ions and benzoyl peroxide, will inactivate ascorbic acid completely.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic AcidThis ingredient is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinImidazolidinyl Urea is a preservative and isn't fungal acne safe. It can cause irritation and worsen eczema.
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.
Retinyl palmitate is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the superstar class of anti-aging ingredients that include tretinoin and retinol.
This particular ingredient has had a bumpy year with its rise and fall in popularity.
First, Retinyl palmitate is created from palmitic acid and retinol. It is a retinol ester and considered one of the weaker forms of retinoid.
This is because all retinoids have to be converted to Tretinoin, AKA retinoic acid. Retinyl Palmitate is pretty far down the line and has to go through multiple conversions before its effects are seen.
Due to this long and ineffective conversion line, the benefits of Retinyl Palmitate are debated.
Studies show Retinyl Palmitate to help:
Dermatologists say this ingredient is ineffective because it isn't used in high enough concentrations in cosmetics.
This ingredient used to be found in sunscreens to boost the efficacy of sunscreen filters.
The downfall of Retinyl Palmitate was due to released reports about the ingredient being correlated to sun damage and skin tumors.
While there is a study showing this ingredient to cause DNA damage when exposed to UV-A, there is no concrete proof of it being linked to skin cancer. It is safe to use when used correctly.
All retinoids increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun in the first few months of usage. Be especially careful with reapplying sunscreen when using any form of retinoid.
Currently, this ingredient is still allowed in cosmetics all over the world. In Canada, cosmetics must have a warning label stating the product to contain Retinyl Palmitate
Fun fact: This ingredient is often added to low-fat milk to increase the levels of Vitamin A.
Learn more about Retinyl PalmitateSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients.
Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
They are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent alcohols. FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholTocopheryl 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 AcetateWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water