What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventJojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningSqualene
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Phytosterols
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Extract
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Propanediol, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Squalene, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Gluconolactone, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phytosterols, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
SmoothingJojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingGlycolic Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingMicrocitrus Australasica Fruit Extract
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningGlabridin
BleachingPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSqualene
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantTetrahydrodiferuloylmethane
AntioxidantSclareolide
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Behenyl Alcohol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Cetearyl Glucoside, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Allantoin, Acer Saccharum Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glabridin, Phytosterols, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Squalene, Bisabolol, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Sclareolide, Pentylene Glycol, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Phenethyl Alcohol
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 GlycerinThis ingredient is a mixture of jojoba oil and macadamia seed esters.
The cool thing about this ingredient is that it is part of L22, a patented lipid compound designed to mimic a young adult's skin surface lipid profile.
Because this ingredient mimics the natural oils in your skin, it helps keep your barrier healthy and hydrated.
The manufacturer's tests found:
Learn more about Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil EstersOryza Sativa Bran Extract comes from the outer layer of a rice kernel. It is a byproduct of milling rice, or the operation to produce a whole grain rice product.
This ingredient has moisturizing properties due to its components of polysaccharides and omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains calcium, selenium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract contains numerous antioxidants such as ferulic acid. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material.
Learn more about Oryza Sativa Bran ExtractPhytosterols are plant-derived sterols (you can think of them as the plant world's version of cholesterol). In cosmetics, this ingredient is usually sourced from soybean, rice bran, shea, sunflower, and other seed oils.
The main actors in this group are β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol (the CIR covers 27 phytosterols).
They work by fitting perfectly into your stratum corneum's lipid matrix since they're structurally similar to cholesterol. Here, they reinforce your skin's barrier.
One small in vivo human study showed topical soybean phytosterols sped up barrier recovery within three days on tape-stripped skin.
Broader research credits them with:
Formulation use typically sit under 5%.
Testing in soy-allergic subjects found no sensitization signals, but be sure to patch test if you are unsure or have existing allergies.
Learn more about PhytosterolsPhytosteryl Macadamiate is an ester made by combining phytosterols (the plant version of cholesterol) with fatty acids from macadamia seed oil.
It's a botanical copycat of the cholesteryl esters found in your skin's surface lipids and mimics how your skin's own barrier lipids organize.
Research on phytosterols show they can help with skin barrier recovery and protect skin against UV-induced damage when combined with ceramides.
The fatty acid portion of this ingredient is mainly oleic acid and palmitoleic acid, two potential Malassezia triggers. Be sure to patch test if you're unsure.
Learn more about Phytosteryl MacadamiatePotassium 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.Â
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 PropanediolRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
While Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil can be volatile due to its fragrant properties, the fragrance components are usually removed in the leaf extract.
Rosemary Leaf Extract contains many antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid. Rosemarinic acid, a compound found in rosemary leaf, has been found to help soothe skin conditions such as eczema and acne.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractSqualane is one of the main components of skin surface lipids. It is naturally found in our skin and makes up about 13% of sebum.
Topically, it is an emollient and skin conditioning agent.
Research highlights its role in antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effects, skin barrier protection, and wound healing support.
In vivo research has shown that transepidermal water loss (TEWL) caused by irritant exposure can be reverse with squalene supplementation (pointing to barrier recovery support).
Its antioxidant activity is backed by ex vivo and cell-based evidence showing it can scavenge free radicals but large-scale human clinical trials isolating this effect remain limited.
One study found squalene regulated proinflammatory behavior in ways relevant to wound healing, and in vitro fibroblast studies also shows it stimulates cell migration which is a key step in skin repair.
There's just one nuance to know about this ingredient:
Squalene is particularly vulnerable to oxidation; it breaks down from UV exposure 10x faster than the other lipids on your skin's surface. The byproducts of that breakdown can clog pores and trigger inflammation, potentially worsening acne.
This is why squalene is often hydrogenated into its stable counterpart: squalane (with an "a"). Most great formulations will have alreadu kept this in mind.
Squalene has shown no significant clinical evidence of sensitization and is a great hydrating ingredient.
Learn more about SqualeneTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
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