What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Corn Gluten Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Yeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Sophora Flavescens Root Extract
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Tranexamic Acid, Corn Gluten Amino Acids, Glyceryl Glucoside, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Panthenol, Hexylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract, Yeast Ferment Extract, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Corn Gluten Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, Glycolic Acid, Gluconolactone, Arginine, Glycerin, Corn Gluten Amino Acids, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Lactic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Propylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone
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.
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 ExtractButylene 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 GlycolCitric 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 AcidWe don't have a description for Corn Gluten Amino Acids yet.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Glucoside is made from glycerol and glucose.
It is a humectant. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture to it from the air.
Some foods that contain glyceryl glucoside include sake, miso, and wines.
Learn more about Glyceryl GlucosideHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePhenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
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 PropanediolSodium 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
