What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEchinacea Purpurea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
AstringentZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Phytate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower, Glycerin, Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol, Sodium Phytate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Lauryl Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Raspberry Ketone
Masking
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Acmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Phytate
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Genipa Americana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTanacetum Annuum Flower Oil
Masking
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Lauryl Laurate, Water, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Inulin, Sclerotium Gum, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Phenethyl Alcohol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Raspberry Ketone, Ceramide NP, Sodium Levulinate, Citric Acid, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Phytate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Laurate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Genipa Americana Fruit Extract, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenethyl Alcohol is a colorless and aromatic alohol. It is naturally occuring in essential oils.
The scent of this ingredient is floral and often compared to rose.
Like other alcohols, this ingredient helps prevent the growth of bacteria. However, its main purpose is to impact a fragrance.
Learn more about Phenethyl AlcoholSodium 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 Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Water. 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
