What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningAleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Cera Alba
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantAzadirachta Indica Leaf Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Cera Alba, Tocopherol, Gluconolactone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Calcium Gluconate, Azadirachta Indica Leaf Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Procollagen
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citrus Depressa Peel Extract
HumectantAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Water, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Procollagen, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Tocopherol, Citrus Depressa Peel Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
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 JuiceCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is the oil from the bergamot orange and is primarily used as a fragrance. It has a "fresh" and "bright orange" scent.
The main aroma compounds found in this ingredient are limonene (~27-52%), linalool (~2-22%), and linalyl acetate (~27-40%). These are known EU fragrance allergens.
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.
When used topically, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil is a photosensitizer due to the furanocoumarin content. Furanocoumarins absorb UV-A and cause phytophotodermatitis; this can look like redness, blistering, and lasting brown pigmentation on sun-exposed skin.
Due to this, this ingredient is capped at 0.4% in leave-on products applied to sun exposed skin.
Many modern formulas used a "furanocoumarin-free" version that sidesteps the phototoxicity issue, but still contains the fragrance allergens.
Learn more about Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit OilThis oil comes from the outer layer (bran) of rice grains. It is packed with skin-friendly fatty acids to soften and condition the skin while supporting your moisture barrier.
What makes it stand out from other plant oils is its naturally high concentration of gamma-oryzanol, a potent antioxidant. This antioxidant has shown some UV-absorptive properties in research.
Other antioxidants found in this oil include tocopherols, tocotrienols, and ferulic acid.
According to manufacturers, this oil has a lightweight texture that absorbs nicely.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics and it has not shown to be a skin sensitizer in testing (unless you have a known rice allergy).
Due to the fatty acids (primarily Oleic Acid ~40%, Linoleic Acid ~30%, and some Palmitic Acid), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Oryza Sativa Bran OilTocopherol 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 Water
