What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSorbitol
HumectantPEG-8
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingGlycereth-26
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycerin, Sorbitol, PEG-8, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycereth-26, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDiglycerin
HumectantIsostearyl Behenate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantTocotrienols
Skin ConditioningSqualene
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Cera
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantStearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Dimethicone
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Diglycerin, Isostearyl Behenate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panthenol, Phytosterols, Tocopherol, Tocotrienols, Squalene, Oryza Sativa Bran Cera, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Algae Extract, Bisabolol, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Retinyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Caprylyl Methicone, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
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 JuiceDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium 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 SorbateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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