What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Babassu Oil Polyglyceryl-4 Esters
Surfactant
Arginine
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Malic Acid
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Glycerin, Babassu Oil Polyglyceryl-4 Esters, Arginine, Panthenol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Citric Acid, Mentha Piperita Oil, Parfum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Limonene, Linalool
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-3 Betainate Acetate
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Aspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Betainate Acetate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Aspergillus Ferment, Panthenol, Arginine, Mentha Piperita Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Citric Acid
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 is the filtered, stabilized liquid pressed from the inner gel of the aloe vera leaf.
In cosmetics, it shows up as either soothing active or a water-replacement base. It is roughly 98-99% water and the last 1-2% is an interesting mix of polysaccharides, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
The polysaccharides do most of the work: they bind water at the skin surface for a light, non-greasy hydration boost. And one of the polysaccharides, glycomannan, is linked to fibroblast stimulation + collagen synthesis. This is also why aloe has such a long track record in wound and burn healing.
This ingredient is also calming with anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity, making it a great pick for sensitive, irritated, or post-sun skin.
Realistic expectations matter though; the solid evidence is mostly limited to hydration, soothing, and wound support. Deeper claims about anti-aging or sun protection are not well backed, and science reviews note it does not prevent radiation-induced skin injury.
Because it plays well with almost everything, it's commonly used as a base alongside other actives like niacinamide or vitamin C.
Typical usage concentrations range from 0.5% (where hydration benefits already show up) all the way to 90%+ (where it replaces water as the main base).
The safety for this ingredient is well-establish as well. Overall, this is a great supporting ingredient for those who want a boost in hydration.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceArginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneThis essential oil is steam-distilled from peppermint leaves, also known as peppermint oil. It's mainly used for scent in skincare but also provides that signature "cooling" sensation.
Peppermint oil is a "feels amazing" ingredient until it doesn't.
At higher doses or for those with sensitive skin, methol-type cooling can quickly turn into burning/irritation. It can also trigger irritant dermatitis or even allergic contact dermatitis. In a large patch-test dataset, peppermint oil had a low but positive rate for this.
In cosmetics, Cosmetic Safety Reviews (CIR) concludes that peppermint oil is safe to use when formulated to be non-sensitizing with some restrictions; for instance, pulegone, a naturally occurring component of peppermint oil, should not exceed 1%.
Since peppermint oil contains fragrance allergens such as limonene, linalool, and menthol, it can be sensitizing for those with rosacea, eczema, a broken skin barrier, or just sensitive skin in general.
In Japan, this ingredient is known as Hakka Yu.
Learn more about Mentha Piperita OilPanthenol 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 Panthenol
