What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Honey
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sea Salt
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Santalol
Perfuming
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Glycinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingStearic Acid
Cleansing
PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide
Emulsifying
Undecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingTetrasodium EDTA
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic Acid
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Capric Acid
Cleansing
Hydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, Lauric Acid, Glycerin, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Carbomer, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Capryloyl Glycine, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Glycol Stearate, Caprylic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Capric Acid, Hydroxystearic Acid, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
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 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 GlycerinGlycol Distearate serves as a pearlizing or opacifying agent in cosmetic products.
It's often included in cleansers and haircare products to give them a lustrous or shimmering appearance.
It is derived from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils and animal fats.
Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
