The Body Shop Aloe Soothing Moisture Lotion SPF 15 Versus Garnier Skinactive Botanical Day Cream With Aloe Extract
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 2.9%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 2.2%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 2.9%, Octocrylene 2.2%, Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Bisabolol, Potassium Sorbate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, BHT, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Phytate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dicaprylyl Ether, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Zea Mays Starch, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Vitis Vinifera, Carbomer, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Salicylic Acid, Parfum
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 Powder comes from the aloe plant.
You may know Aloe to be a good sunburn reliever and inflammation reducer. This is because it contains many components that are known to help reduce irritation and itchiness.
Aloe leaves are also great moisturizers. They are naturally rich in polysaccharides, a carbohydrate made of sugars. Polysaccharides are able to mimic the carbs found in the top layer of your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
Aloe contains the antioxidants Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins neutralize free radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe does not protect against UV rays, despite it soothing sunburns.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice PowderCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
