What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientEthylhexyl Olivate
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Saponins
CleansingAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingParfum
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Squalane, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Saponins, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Caprylate
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativePolyquaternium-10
Polyquaternium-7
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientMentha Piperita Oil
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningMentha Arvensis Callus Lysate
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningUrtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEquisetum Arvense Leaf Extract
AstringentHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSerenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRedensyl
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, Polyquaternium-7, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Panthenol, Mentha Arvensis Callus Lysate, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Hylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Redensyl, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric 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 JuiceYou may know this ingredient as argan oil. It has emollient and skin conditioning properties that help soften skin and reinforce the lipid barrier.
The fatty acid profile of argan oil is roughly 45-55% oleic acid, 28-36% linoleic acid, 10-15% palmitic acid, and 5-7% stearic acid. It also contains vitamin E, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols like ferulic acid.
Two clinical studies in postmenopausal women found that applying argan oil for 60 days significantly improved skin elasticity and moisturization (reduced transepidermal water loss and increased epidermal water content).
Since it is high in oleic and linoleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Both of these fall in the C11-C24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel OilThis ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about Squalane