What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzoic Acid
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAverrhoa Carambola Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Dehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantSodium Citrate
BufferingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPhormium Tenax Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLeptospermum Scoparium Branch/Leaf Oil
TonicCyathea Medullaris Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantCitral
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polysorbate 20, Hyaluronic Acid, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Sodium Citrate, Sclerotium Gum, Phormium Tenax Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Leptospermum Scoparium Branch/Leaf Oil, Cyathea Medullaris Leaf Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Citral, Citronellol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Linalool
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 most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholDehydroacetic Acid is fungicide and bactericide. It is used as a preservative in cosmetics. Preservatives help elongate the shelf life of a product.
Dehydroacetic Acid is not soluble in water.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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