What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventStearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Histidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingGlucose
HumectantMaltose
MaskingFructose
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantPCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingUrea
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingOleic Acid
EmollientPhytosteryl Canola Glycerides
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingLecithin
EmollientTriolein
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingIsoceteth-20
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Trehalose, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lecithin, Triolein, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Isoceteth-20, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Pentylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Lactic Acid
BufferingOrmenis Multicaulis Oil
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
MaskingCarum Petroselinum Seed Oil
MaskingBenzoic Acid
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-150 Distearate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Lactate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitol, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Carum Petroselinum Seed Oil, Benzoic Acid, Linalool, Geraniol, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Phenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateWater. 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