What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
C13-15 Alkane
SolventPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vitex Agnus Castus Extract
AstringentChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Phellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, C13-15 Alkane, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Silica, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Vitex Agnus Castus Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Parfum, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Isohexadecane
EmollientTrehalose
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Betaine, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Isododecane, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Aesculus Hippocastanum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Tocopherol, Isohexadecane, Trehalose, Panthenol, Polysorbate 80, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
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 Extract is a botanical extract pulled from the leaves of aloe vera and one of the most studied plant ingredients in cosmetics.
The inner leaf gel it comes from is mostly water (~99-99.5%) and the remaining fraction is made up of pretty good stuff: polysaccharides, vitamins, phenolics, and enzymes.
Its headline job is hydration.
The star polysaccharide in aloe, acemannan, is a humectant that retains moisture and helps reduce trans-epidermal water loss.
Aloe also has real soothing credentials; it contains anti-inflammatory compounds like bradykinase and C-glucosyl chromone that help calm irritation and redness.
On the repair side, lab work shows that acemannan wakes up your skin's repair cells (fibroblasts), prompting them to multiply and speed up healing.
There's some human data for cosmetic benefit too: a cream containing 10% Aloe Barbadensis leaf extract improved skin hydration and elasticity in a real-use study.
Safety-wise, this ingredient is well-regarded with just one rare downside; there have been some case reports of acute eczema, contact urticaria, and dermatitis in people who applied aloe-derived ingredients topically. Those with a known aloe or Liliaceae sensitivity should patch test.
Typical use levels range widely, from under 1% up to 90%+ depending on the format and the effect you are after.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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
