What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
BHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Water, Sodium Lactate, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Stearic Acid, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Imidazolidinyl Urea
Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Lactate 5%
BufferingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Potassium Lactate 5%, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Canola Oil, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum
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 ButterDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
