What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Carbomer, Caffeine, Menthyl Lactate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Oxygen
Skin ConditioningAesculus Hippocastanum Extract
Antioxidant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Pentapeptide-18
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Stearic Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caffeine, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Glycerin, Oxygen, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Panthenol, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide
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 PowderCaffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium 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 Water
