What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Stearic Acid
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientTetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium 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 ConditioningGlycolic Acid
BufferingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentEpilobium Angustifolium Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycolic Acid, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-100 Stearate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Allantoin, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, 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 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 ButterCetyl 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 DimethiconeGlycerin 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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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 HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.
As an emollient, stearic acid helps soften skin. It aids the skin's protective barrier by preventing water loss. It also provides a gentle cleansing effect without stripping away natural oils.
Stearic acid may also be used to enhance the texture of products. It can add volume and stabilize ingredients such as water and oil. This can help water and oil ingredients from separating.
Sources of stearic acid include animal or vegetable fats/oils such as coconut or shea. It can be naturally found in butter, cocoa butter, shea butter, vegetable fats, and animal tallow.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopheryl 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water