What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Agave Tequilana Stem Extract
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMethylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycine Soja Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Parfum, Polysorbate 60, Agave Tequilana Stem Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Beeswax, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Polysorbate 80, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Xanthan Gum, Methylisothiazolinone, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
Acrylates Copolymer
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Polyquaternium-7
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Plumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentTocopherol
Antioxidant
Acetic Acid
BufferingCarya Ovata Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycol Distearate, Cocamide Mea, Acrylates Copolymer, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Citric Acid, Panthenol, Parfum, Polyquaternium-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Plumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Tocopherol, Acetic Acid, Carya Ovata Bark Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Maltodextrin, Cyclodextrin
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 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
