Botanika Beauty The Manager Silkening Conditioner Versus Design Essentials Almond Butter Express Instant Moisturizing Conditioner
Updated on May 18, 2025
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe conditioners. They have a total of 11 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for dry skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances and oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Botanika Beauty The Manager Silkening Conditioner 24 ingredients
Design Essentials Almond Butter Express Instant Moisturizing Conditioner 16 ingredients
What's inside (and what isn't)
What's inside (and what isn't)
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Botanika Beauty The Manager Silkening Conditioner 24 ingredients
Design Essentials Almond Butter Express Instant Moisturizing Conditioner 16 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Amodimethicone
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Soymilk Protein
Skin ConditioningCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Zea Mays Oil, Parfum, Amodimethicone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycol Stearate, Glycol Distearate, Hydrolyzed Soymilk Protein, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Cetrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycereth-2 Cocoate, Tocopheryl Acetate
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-32
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
PPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
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 a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin (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.
Glycereth-2 Cocoate can be bad for dry skin.
Glycol Distearate serves as a pearlizing or opacifying agent in cosmetic products.
It's often included in cleansers and haircare products to give them a lustrous or shimmering appearance.
It is derived from stearic acid, a natural fatty acid commonly found in vegetable oils and animal fats.
Glycol Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil comes from the sweet almond, a tree native to Iran. This oil has no fragrance and is non-volatile.
Almonds contain healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. It is a rich source of Vitamin E, a great antioxidant and skin conditioning ingredient. Sweet almond oil contains fatty acids such as linolenic acid and triglycerides.
The content of sweet almond oil makes it a great emollient; it can help soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a barrier over your skin to trap moisture in. Sweet almond oil has antioxidant properties.
Those with an almond allergy should be careful of this ingredient and speak with a professional about using it in your skincare.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterIngredient Ratings
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