What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Oenocarpus Bataua Fruit Oil
Emollient
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialMedicago Sativa Extract
TonicSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingHydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningCaprylic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Oenocarpus Bataua Fruit Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Medicago Sativa Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Caprylic Acid, Glycerin, Capryloyl Glycine, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningIlex Guayusa Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract
AstringentBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Oenocarpus Bataua Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearalkonium Chloride
Preservative
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
Emollient
Olive Oil/Pomegranate Fruit Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicThiamine Hcl
MaskingRiboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Aroma
Glycine
Buffering
Kaolin
Abrasive
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein
Water, Ilex Guayusa Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Oenocarpus Bataua Seed Oil, Stearalkonium Chloride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Olive Oil/Pomegranate Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Biotin, Thiamine Hcl, Riboflavin, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Aroma, Glycine, Kaolin, Potassium Sorbate, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein
Alternatives
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 a botanical extract pulled from the leaves of aloe vera and one of the most studied plant ingredients in cosmetics.
The inner leaf gel it comes from is mostly water (~99-99.5%) and the remaining fraction is made up of pretty good stuff: polysaccharides, vitamins, phenolics, and enzymes.
Its headline job is hydration.
The star polysaccharide in aloe, acemannan, is a humectant that retains moisture and helps reduce trans-epidermal water loss.
Aloe also has real soothing credentials; it contains anti-inflammatory compounds like bradykinase and C-glucosyl chromone that help calm irritation and redness.
On the repair side, lab work shows that acemannan wakes up your skin's repair cells (fibroblasts), prompting them to multiply and speed up healing.
There's some human data for cosmetic benefit too: a cream containing 10% Aloe Barbadensis leaf extract improved skin hydration and elasticity in a real-use study.
Safety-wise, this ingredient is well-regarded with just one rare downside; there have been some case reports of acute eczema, contact urticaria, and dermatitis in people who applied aloe-derived ingredients topically. Those with a known aloe or Liliaceae sensitivity should patch test.
Typical use levels range widely, from under 1% up to 90%+ depending on the format and the effect you are after.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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
