Cantu Shea Butter For Natural Hair Coconut Curling Cream Versus Aunt Jackie's Curls & Coils Quench Moisture Intensive Leave-In Conditioner
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCanola Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCeteareth-20
CleansingParfum
MaskingCeteth-20
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlycol Stearate
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientPEG-75
HumectantPolyquaternium-10
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientMelia Azadirachta Seed Oil
EmollientDaucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientMangifera Indica Seed Oil
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
PerfumingMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
AntimicrobialUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentSilk Amino Acids
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCoumarin
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Canola Oil, Glycerin, Ceteareth-20, Parfum, Ceteth-20, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycol Stearate, Petrolatum, PEG-75, Polyquaternium-10, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Silk, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Silk Amino Acids, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningUlmus Fulva Bark Extract
MoisturisingParfum
MaskingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Ulmus Fulva Bark Extract, Parfum, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Panthenol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Amyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, CI 19140, CI 42090
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You may know this ingredient as argan oil. It has emollient and skin conditioning properties that help soften skin and reinforce the lipid barrier.
The fatty acid profile of argan oil is roughly 45-55% oleic acid, 28-36% linoleic acid, 10-15% palmitic acid, and 5-7% stearic acid. It also contains vitamin E, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols like ferulic acid.
Two clinical studies in postmenopausal women found that applying argan oil for 60 days significantly improved skin elasticity and moisturization (reduced transepidermal water loss and increased epidermal water content).
Since it is high in oleic and linoleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Both of these fall in the C11-C24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel OilThis 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 ButterCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexyl Cinnamal is a fragrance ingredient with a similar scent to jasmine. It can be naturally found in chamomile essential oil.
This ingredient is a known EU allergen and may sensitize the skin. The EU requires this ingredient to be listed separately on an ingredients list.
Hexyl Cinnamal is not water soluble but is soluble in oils.
Learn more about Hexyl CinnamalThis 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 OilParfum 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.
Water. 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