What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Myristate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Potassium Behenate
CleansingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Potassium Palmitate
EmulsifyingPotassium Laurate
EmulsifyingPotassium Stearate
CleansingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Grandis
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Methyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingPolyquaternium-7
PEG-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Water, Potassium Myristate, Glycerin, Potassium Behenate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Potassium Palmitate, Potassium Laurate, Potassium Stearate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Citrus Grandis, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Polyquaternium-7, PEG-3 Distearate, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Linalool, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone
Water
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientSigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Whey Protein
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
7-Dehydrocholesterol
Emulsion StabilisingZea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Cereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Threonine
Valine
MaskingProline
Skin Conditioning
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-8
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingJojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters
Surfactant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Butylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Glycereth-26, Acetyl Glucosamine, Lactobacillus Ferment, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Caffeine, Cholesterol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Whey Protein, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium Lactate, 7-Dehydrocholesterol, Zea Mays Oil, Sodium PCA, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Beta-Carotene, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Cereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Valine, Proline, Isoleucine, Histidine, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polysorbate 20, PEG-8, Sodium Hydroxide, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Panthenol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Glycine, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Citral, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
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 ButterDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolThis ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
Learn more about Olea Europaea Fruit OilWater. 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
