What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventDimethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantLinoleic Acid
CleansingAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantArnica Montana Flower Extract
MaskingPiperonyl Glucoside
Skin ProtectingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysilicone-11
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Algin
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOleic Acid
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientBenzoic Acid
MaskingSorbic Acid
PreservativeCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantLinolenic Acid
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlycolic Acid
BufferingGalactoarabinan
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Linoleic Acid, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Beta-Glucan, Magnesium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Piperonyl Glucoside, Carbomer, Polysilicone-11, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Algin, Xanthan Gum, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, CI 77288, Linolenic Acid, Citric Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Glycolic Acid, Galactoarabinan, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingDimethicone
EmollientDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningC12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingMica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
AbrasiveDimethiconol
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientLaureth-7
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantOctyldodecyl Oleate
EmollientChromium Oxide Greens
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C12-14 Pareth-12, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Dimethiconol, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Carbomer, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Octyldodecyl Oleate, Chromium Oxide Greens, Sodium Hydroxide, Hyaluronic Acid
Reviews
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 JuiceBisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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