What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningUbiquinone
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Silica, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sucrose Stearate, Panthenol, Urea, Sodium Hyaluronate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Tocopherol, Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract, Ubiquinone, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sucrose Distearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Arginine
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Coriandrum Sativum Seed Oil
Emollient
Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Emollient
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Paraffinum Liquidum, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Citric Acid, Coriandrum Sativum Seed Oil, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Panthenol, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Sorbitan Tristearate, Tocopherol
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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolTocopherol 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
