Whind Kasbah Stars Versus Flamingo Calming Serum
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventLactic Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactobionic Acid
BufferingDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycolic Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Salicylic Acid
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGalactoarabinan
Pullulan
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingSilica
AbrasiveLinalool
PerfumingBrassica Rapa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Gluconolactone, Propanediol, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactobionic Acid, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycolic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Salicylic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Galactoarabinan, Pullulan, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Silica, Linalool, Brassica Rapa Root Extract, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningIsoceteth-20
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventAmodimethicone
Gluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantSqualane
EmollientSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Benzoate
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialTrideceth-10
CleansingMenthol
MaskingEnteromorpha Compressa Extract
Skin ProtectingOrmenis Multicaulis Oil
MaskingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantSilybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Isoceteth-20, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Amodimethicone, Gluconolactone, Saccharide Isomerate, Squalane, Sodium PCA, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Trideceth-10, Menthol, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Calcium Gluconate, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Linalool
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 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 JuiceCitric 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 AcidGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneLavandula Angustifolia Oil is more commonly known as lavender essential oil. It is considered a fragrancing ingredient.
Lavender imparts a famous scent. While the smell is lovely, this ingredient and may sensitize skin in topical products. This is because about 85% of the oil is made up of linalool and linalyl acetate.
When exposed to air, these two compounds become strong allergens. This ingredient exhibits cytotoxicity at low concentrations; amounts of 0.25% have been shown to damage skin cells.
A study from Japan found this ingredient caused lavender sensitivity after widespread exposure.
Lavender essential oil has some antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the cons of this ingredient may outweight the pros.
More research is needed to confirm lavender essential oil's effects when used in aromatherapy.
Lavandula Angustifolia is known as the English Lavender and famous for creating purple fields in Provence, France.
Learn more about Lavandula Angustifolia OilLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum