What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMica
Cosmetic ColorantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Vitis Vinifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTin Oxide
AbrasiveSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Vitis Vinifera Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tin Oxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Isopropyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxycitronellal, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, CI 77891
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Eicosanedioate/Tetradecanedioate
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
HumectantCannabis Sativa Seed Extract
EmollientOpuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Avium Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAgave Tequilana Leaf Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingSorbitol
HumectantPullulan
Inositol
HumectantBetaine
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMaltose
MaskingXylitol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningVegetable Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Citric Acid
BufferingAlcohol
AntimicrobialBenzoic Acid
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., PEG-150 Distearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Eicosanedioate/Tetradecanedioate, Diglycerin, Cannabis Sativa Seed Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Prunus Avium Flower Extract, Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Sorbitol, Pullulan, Inositol, Betaine, Carbomer, Maltose, Xylitol, Sodium Hydroxide, Pvp, Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Vegetable Amino Acids, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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