What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Dimethyl Ether
SolventWater
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Fructose
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingUrea
Buffering
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Maltose
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tapioca Starch
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Peel Oil
Dimethyl Phenylethyl Carbinyl Acetate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Dimethyl Ether, Water, Alcohol Denat., Pvp, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Menthyl Lactate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citric Acid, Fructose, Sodium Hydroxide, Urea, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Allantoin, Maltose, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Trehalose, Glucose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Sorbate, Tapioca Starch, Sodium Benzoate, Citrus Aurantium Peel Oil, Dimethyl Phenylethyl Carbinyl Acetate, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Amp-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Linseed Acid
CleansingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Amp-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Polysorbate 20, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dehydroacetic Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Laureth-7, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Panthenol, Sorbitol, Linseed Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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 JuicePeg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is derived from castor oil and polyethylene glycol (PEG). It is used as a emollient and emulsifier.
As an emulsifier, it helps prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps make the other ingredients more soluble; it is often used to solubilize fragrances. This increases spreadability and elongates shelf life in a product.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
This ingredient may or may not be vegan, depending on the source.
Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil may not be fungal-acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any questions or concerns.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Propylene 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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
