What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningSucrose Stearate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Coconut Alcohol
Emollient
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Polyglutamic Acid, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Extract, Sucrose Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tocopherol, Propanediol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Coco-Glucoside, Coconut Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Citric Acid
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Lauryl Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Raspberry Ketone
Masking
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Acmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Phytate
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Genipa Americana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTanacetum Annuum Flower Oil
Masking
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Lauryl Laurate, Water, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Inulin, Sclerotium Gum, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Phenethyl Alcohol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Raspberry Ketone, Ceramide NP, Sodium Levulinate, Citric Acid, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Phytate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Laurate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Genipa Americana Fruit Extract, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linalool
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 JuiceCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric 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 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 GlycerinJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateVitis Vinifera Seed Oil comes from the grape vine. Grape seeds are a byproduct of creating grape juice or wine.
The components of grape seeds have many skin benefits. Research has found it to be antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. It also contains many potent antioxidants such as Vitamin E , Vitamin C, proanthocyanidins, polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Proanthocyanidin has been shown to help even out skin tone.
Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Antioxidants help stabilize free-radicals by donating extra electrons. Grape seed extract may help reduce the signs of aging.
The antimicrobial properties of grape seed may help treat acne. However, more research is needed to support this claim.
Grape seed has also been found to help absorb UV rays. Grape seed extract should not replace your sunscreen.
The fatty acids of grape seed oil give it emollient properties. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin by creating a film. This film traps moisture within, keeping your skin hydrated.
Learn more about Vitis Vinifera Seed OilWater. 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
