What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Adansonia Digitata Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Oil
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Quaternium-80
Lavandula Spica Herb Oil
Perfuming
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Adansonia Digitata Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Cetyl Esters, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Cetrimonium Chloride, Biotin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Quaternium-80, Lavandula Spica Herb Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Menthol
Water
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCetyl Esters
Emollient
Moroccan Lava Clay
Abrasive
Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein
Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil
Masking
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Bambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Spirulina Platensis Powder
Skin ProtectingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Cetyl Esters, Moroccan Lava Clay, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Parfum, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Spirulina Platensis Powder, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCetyl Esters is a synthetic wax made up of mostly fatty acids and fatty alcohols. It is strcturally similar to wax taken from whales.
As an emollient, it creates a thin barrier on the skin. This barrier prevents moisture from escaping.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Cetyl EstersGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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
