What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Tetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Dimethicone, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ceteareth-20
Cleansing
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetearyl Phosphate
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceteareth-20, Isopropyl Myristate, Ferulic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Retinol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Phosphate, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Synthetic Beeswax, Hexylene Glycol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, BHT
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 an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterThis ingredient is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.
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 DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
It is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.
As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.
In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
