What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Citrus Grandis Seed Extract
Astringent
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Citrus Grandis Seed Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Beta-Carotene, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Vanillin
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil, Tocopherol, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Vanillin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Sodium Phytate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Linalool, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 StearateLimonene 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 LimoneneLinalool 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 LinaloolTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWheatgerm oil is a yellow/reddish oil derived from germs on the common wheat. It is rich in Vitamin E, an ingredient with many skin benefits.
About 80% of the oil is made up of fatty acids. The majority of these include linoleic acid and linolenic acid.
Studies show this oil can aid in wound healing and soothing inflammation.
This ingredient may not be acne or fungal-acne safe.
Sometimes, the Vitamin E derived from wheat germ can contain gluten. However, most plant derived oil is processed to remove all proteins.
Learn more about Triticum Vulgare Germ OilWater. 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
