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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter versus Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner .

Last updated on September 11, 2023. Published on December 04, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe conditioners. They have a total of 13 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain AHA and BHA

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances and oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Price

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA
Ceramides

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (5)
Acne Trigger (2)
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (3)

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (4)
Acne Trigger (2)
Irritating (4)
Rosacea (4)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 1.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.

Cetearyl alcohol is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.

Studies show Cetearyl alcohol is non-toxic and non-irritating. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

This ingredient is usually derived from plant oils such as palm, vegetable, or coconut oils. There is debate on whether this ingredient will cause acne.

Due to the fatty acid base, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.

Learn more about Cetearyl Alcohol

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 2.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

We don't have a description for Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine.

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 3.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 6.

4
What it does: Emollient, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Isopropyl Myristate is an emollient, thickening agent, and texture enhancer. It is created from isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid.

It is used to help other ingredients be better absorbed. It is also an emollient and may help soften and hydrate the skin.

The comedogenic rating of this ingredient depends on the concentration. Lower amounts results in a lower rating.

Isopropyl Myristate may not be fungal acne safe. It can potentially worsen acne prone skin.

Learn more about Isopropyl Myristate

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 4.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 4.

5
What it does: Emollient, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Cetyl Esters is a synthetic wax made up of mostly fatty acids and fatty alcohols. It is strcturally similar to wax taken from whales.

As an emollient, it creates a thin barrier on the skin. This barrier prevents moisture from escaping.

This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about Cetyl Esters

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 5.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 10.

6
What it does: Emollient, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of a Sunflower. Sunflower seed oil is non-fragrant. It is an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the skin.

Sunflower seed oil contains many fatty acids. The fatty acids found in sunflower seeds include (from highest amount to least): linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid.

These fatty acids help the skin create ceramides. Ceramides play a role in repairing the skin barrier.

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil helps moisturize the skin. This in turn helps the skin look more rejuvenated and smoother.

Sunflowers are rich in vitamin E.

Historians believe Indigenous cultures of North America domesticated sunflowers before corn. Thus they relied on sunflower oil for a variety of uses. One such use is moisturizing skin and hair.

Sunflower seed oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 6.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 8.

7
What it does: Masking, Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, 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.

In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. 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. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.

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 Parfum

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 8.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 5.

8
What it does: Buffering, Masking
Community Rating: Mixed

Tartaric Acid is an AHA. It can help to improve skin texture, reduce large pores, heal scars, and brighten skin. It can cause irritation and worsen rosacea.

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 9.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 13.

9
What it does: Perfuming, Preservative, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.

Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.

Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.

Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.

Other types of astringent alcohols include:

According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.

Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.

Learn more about Benzyl Alcohol

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 10.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 20.

10
What it does: Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 11.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 11.

11
What it does: Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.

Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.

Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.

It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.

In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

Learn more about Salicylic Acid

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 12.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 15.

12
What it does: Perfuming, Solvent
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Limonene 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 Limonene

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 15.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 14.

13
What it does: Perfuming
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.

Linalool has the same effect as Limonene when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.

Linalool has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.

Learn more about Linalool

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter contains this as ingredient number 16.

Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner contains this as ingredient number 21.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

24% are loved or liked
12% have mixed ratings
59% are disliked or very disliked
6% have no rating yet
21% are loved or liked
4% have mixed ratings
64% are disliked or very disliked
11% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Carol's Daughter Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter 17 ingredients

Born to Repair Nourishing Conditioner with Shea Butter hasn't been rated yet.
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Kérastase Fondant Apaisant Essentiel Symbiose Conditioner 28 ingredients

2.0 /5
from 1 rating

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