What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propylene Glycol
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearate
CleansingPolyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventSaccharomyces Ferment
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharina Longicruris Extract
HumectantMaranta Arundinacea Root Powder
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentGlyceryl Undecylenate
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialPropylene Glycol, Water, Sodium Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate, Propanediol, Saccharomyces Ferment, Parfum, Glycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hyaluronic Acid, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Saccharina Longicruris Extract, Maranta Arundinacea Root Powder, Zea Mays Starch, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Propylene Glycol
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearate
CleansingSaccharomyces Ferment
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentParfum
MaskingHydrated Silica
AbrasiveRosa Damascena Flower Oil
MaskingSqualane
EmollientSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentCaffeine
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingAvena Sativa Kernel Flour
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingSilica Cetyl Silylate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePropylene Glycol, Water, Sodium Stearate, Saccharomyces Ferment, Propanediol, Zea Mays Starch, Parfum, Hydrated Silica, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Squalane, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Caffeine, Arginine, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Glycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Silica Cetyl Silylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Reviews
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 JuiceGlycerin (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 GlycerinLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate is a natural preservative. It comes from fermenting radish roots with a bacteria called leuconostoc. The trade name for this ingredient is Leucidal.
Leuconostoc comes from lactic acid.
This ingredient has antimicrobial properties and helps prevent the growth of bacteria in a product.
Leuconostoc is used to make the traditional Korean side-dish, kimchi. It is also used to make sourdough bread (both incredibly yummy foods).
Learn more about Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment FiltrateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPotassium 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 SorbatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolPropylene 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 GlycolSaccharomyces Ferment is created from fermenting and filtering saccharomyces, a group of fungus that includes yeasts. It is a humectant and helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient contains amino acids, beta-glucan, and vitamins. Beta-glucan is a potent antioxidant and may help with the signs of aging.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Saccharomyces FermentSodium 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 BenzoateSodium stearate is the sodium salt of stearic acid.
The structure of sodium stearate makes it both a cleanser and emulsifier. As a cleanser, it helps dissolve dirt, oil, and other pollutants. As an emulsifier, it helps prevent ingredients from separating. This adds stability to the formula.
Water. 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 WaterZea Mays Starch is starch made from corn. You might know this as cornstarch . It is used to thicken a product. It can replace talc as an absorbent.
The pH of cornstarch is 5.92.
Cornstarch is a common food ingredient used to thicken soups or to make corn syrup.
Learn more about Zea Mays Starch