What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Canola Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Water, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Canola Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium PCA, Lactic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientUrea
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Canola Oil, Myristyl Myristate, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Niacinamide, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Urea, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, 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.
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 ButterCanola Oil is a plant-oil and low-erucic-acid variety of rapeseed. Like other seed oils, it functions as an emollient that softens skin and slows water loss.
Its fatty acid profile is mostly linoleic acid (55-65%) with some oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. There are also some small amounts of vitamin E and plant sterols.
The sterol content is pretty interesting:
In a controlled human study, a single application of canola oil and especially its sterol-enriched fraction reduced visible irritation, redness, and water loss caused by SLS. Plain canola oil and most other tested oils did little on healthy, un-irritated skin.
It's pretty much just a calm, moisturizing oil that helps with soothing if your skin is already irritated.
Since canola oil is made up of C18 fatty acids, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on chain lengths C11-24.
Fun fact: Canadian growers bred the low-erucic variety in the 1970's, and the name stands for "Canadian oil, Low Acid").
Learn more about Canola OilCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlyceryl 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 StearateIsopropyl Myristate is an ester made by combining isopropyl alcohol with myristic acid.
It is primarily an emollient and penetration enhancer that gives products a lightweight, silky feel without the heaviness of oils.
This ingredient is generally considered non-toxic, non-irritating, and has low absorption potential.
You might have heard that this ingredient clogs pores. This reputation comes from the older rabbit ear studies which are more sensitive than human skin to clogging.
Dermatologist Dr. Zoe Draelos has also confirmed in a peer-reviewed paper that products containing comedogenic ingredients are not necessarily comedogenic themselves.
A small subset of people (~2%) may experience contact sensitivity so patch testing is a reasonable idea if you have reactive skin.
Since this ingredient is an ester of myristic acid (a C14 fatty acid), it falls within the carbon chain range that is known to feed Malassezia. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Isopropyl MyristatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
