What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientC13-15 Alkane
SolventStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingHoney
HumectantGlutamic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Disodium EDTA
BHT
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Isododecane, C13-15 Alkane, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Dimethiconol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Parfum, Honey, Glutamic Acid, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Caprylyl Methicone, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polysorbate 60, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Coumarin, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingSodium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingCocamide Mea
EmulsifyingGlycol Distearate
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingMel
EmollientPPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientFumaric Acid
BufferingRoyal Jelly
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAlcohol
AntimicrobialPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingSalicylic Acid
MaskingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingCoumarin
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamide Mea, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Mel, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Fumaric Acid, Royal Jelly, Carbomer, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hydroxide, Alcohol, Propolis Extract, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Salicylic Acid, CI 19140, Caramel, Parfum, Coumarin, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate
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 JuiceBenzyl 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 AlcoholBenzyl Salicylate is a solvent and fragrance additive. It is an ester of benzyl alcohol and salicylic acid. This ingredient can be naturally found in some plants and plant extracts.
In fragrances, Benzyl Salicylate may be a solvent or a fragrance component. In synthetic musk scents, it is used as a solvent. For floral fragrances such as lilac and jasmine, it is used as a fragrance component. The natural scent of Benzyl Salicylate is described as "lightly-sweet, slightly balsamic".
While Benzyl Salicylate has been associated with contact dermatitis and allergies, emerging studies show it may not be caused by this ingredient alone.
However, this ingredient is often used with fragrances and other components that may cause allergies. It is still listed as a known allergen in the EU. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Another study from 2021 shows Benzyl Salicylate may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Benzyl SalicylateCoumarins are a group of substances found naturally in plants. There are over 1300 types of coumarins identified. It has a natural vanilla scent.
Coumarin is an identified EU known allergy, meaning it may cause an allergic reaction when applied to the skin.
In many countries, coumarin is banned as a food additive. However, it can be found in soaps, tobacco products, and some alcohol drinks.
Plants use coumarins as a chemical defense. Some plants that have coumarins include lavender, tonka beans, and yellow clovers.
Learn more about CoumarinGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 ParfumSodium 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 BenzoateWater. 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