Cantu Shea Butter Moisturizing Curl Activator Cream Versus John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Curl Defining Crème
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-10
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningNiacin
SmoothingPantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningRiboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantThiamine Hcl
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingUrtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polyquaternium-11
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Polyquaternium-39
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCoumarin
Perfuming
Silk Amino Acids
HumectantHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Parfum, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-10, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Pyridoxine Hcl, Riboflavin, Thiamine Hcl, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Persea Gratissima Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 60, Polyquaternium-11, Benzyl Benzoate, Polyquaternium-39, Cetrimonium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Coumarin, Silk Amino Acids, Hexyl Cinnamal, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Sulfite
Water
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyurethane-34
Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Laureth-3
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Ceteareth-25
CleansingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Silicone Quaternium-18
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Parfum
Masking
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingTrideceth-12
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenylpropanol
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyurethane-34, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cetyl Alcohol, Laureth-3, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Ceteareth-25, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Laureth-7, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Silicone Quaternium-18, Methylpropanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Parfum, Trideceth-6, Trideceth-12, Caprylyl Glycol, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Phenylpropanol, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholParfum 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.
Jojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
