What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Deoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Rosa Canina Flower Extract
AstringentPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phragmites Karka Extract
Skin ConditioningPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tromethamine
BufferingLecithin
Emollient
Acetyl Glutamine
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-11
Bacillus
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carbomer, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Deoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Rosa Canina Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Phragmites Karka Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Chlorphenesin, Tromethamine, Lecithin, Acetyl Glutamine, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Bacillus, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Rheum Palmatum Root Extract
Astringent
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Honey
Humectant
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Propanediol, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Alcohol, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Chlorphenesin, Salicylic Acid, Rheum Palmatum Root Extract, Allantoin, Honey, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Parfum, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is an extract of the leaves of the aloe, Aloe barbadensis, Liliaceae.
Aloe is one of the most well-known natural soothing ingredients, and for good reason. It’s full of water and has a cooling, calming effect on the skin, especially when it’s sunburned, itchy, or irritated. Aloe also helps your skin stay hydrated and smooth by mimicking what healthy skin naturally produces. On top of that, it contains vitamins and nutrients that support skin recovery.Â
It doesn’t protect you from the sun, but it can help your skin bounce back after too much time in it.
Let’s get into the details:
Aloe contains antioxidant Vitamins A, C, and E, which help fight off free radicals (unstable molecules from things like pollution that can damage your skin).
It’s also rich in polysaccharides, which are natural sugars that help hydrate the skin by acting like the skin’s own moisturizing agents. These, along with other sugars like monosaccharides, help form a protective barrier that locks in moisture.
Aloe works as both a humectant and an emollient. That means it draws water into the skin (humectant) and helps trap it there (emollient), making it an effective natural moisturizer.
You’ll also find a mix of other skin-supporting ingredients in aloe, including folic acid, choline, calcium, amino acids, fatty acids, and even Vitamin B12.
Out of the 420+ species of aloe, Aloe barbadensis is the most widely used in skincare products thanks to its gentle yet effective properties.
There are over 420 species of aloe but Aloe Barbadensis is the most commonly used for topical products.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
