What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCandelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Behenate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingMagnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oil/Hydrogenated Moringa Oil Esters
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin ConditioningWater, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Squalane, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 60, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Behenate, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Parfum, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Moringa Oil/Hydrogenated Moringa Oil Esters, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Water
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingPelargonium Graveolens Oil
MaskingAniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil
AstringentViola Odorata Oil
MaskingVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCitronellol
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Stearic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Triethanolamine, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil, Viola Odorata Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Parfum
Reviews
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 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 ButterCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil is a lightweight oil from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree. In cosmetics, it's an emollient that forms a light film to slow water loss and soften skin.
Its fatty acid composition is dominated by oleic acid (70-78%), with smaller amounts of behenic, palmitic, and stearic acids (this profile is actually pretty similar to olive oil).
Notably, this ingredient is oxidatively stable for an oil and resists going rancid as fast as other oils.
A small, in vivo study on 32 participants found a cream with this ingredient increased skin hydration with no reported skin irritation. It also found the tocopherol content gave it some antioxidant activity as well.
One thing to flag for fungal acne:
Because this oil is so high in oleic acid, Malassezia can use it as a food source and this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
For everyone else, this ingredient is well-tolerated and nourishing with a good safety track record.
Learn more about Moringa Oleifera Seed OilParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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