What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Mel
EmollientCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water
Skin ConditioningTea-Lauryl Sulfate
Cleansing
Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer
Cocamide DEA
Emulsifying
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Tetrasodium EDTA
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hedera Helix Extract
AntimicrobialAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Tea-Lauryl Sulfate, Acrylates/Steareth-20 Methacrylate Copolymer, Cocamide DEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Methyl Gluceth-20, Panthenol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Maltodextrin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Hedera Helix Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, CI 16035
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 is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.
In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.
This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.
Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.
Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.
Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).
The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineParfum 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolTetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
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 Water
