What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Aroma
Squalane
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Donkey Milk
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
Humectant
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Malus Sylvestris Flower Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aroma, Squalane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Urea, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Donkey Milk, Honey Extract, Propolis Extract, Beeswax, Allantoin, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Malus Sylvestris Flower Extract, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cera Alba
Emollient
Magnesium Sulfate
Propanediol
Solvent
Gelidium Sesquipedale Extract
Skin ProtectingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialOleic Acid
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Cera Alba, Magnesium Sulfate, Propanediol, Gelidium Sesquipedale Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Linoleic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tocopherol, Sodium Anisate, Oleic Acid, Bisabolol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Linolenic Acid
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 ButterCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol 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
