What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientLimonene
PerfumingDimethicone
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingCrambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLinalool
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingJuniperus Communis Fruit Extract
PerfumingOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSambucus Nigra Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Corymbosum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
CleansingWater, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Limonene, Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Benzyl Benzoate, Parfum, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Linalool, Citral, Juniperus Communis Fruit Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sambucus Nigra Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Corymbosum Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningDiethylhexyl Succinate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientDisodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate
CleansingPolysilicone-11
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Limonene
PerfumingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Linseed Extract
Skin ConditioningPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingCitral
PerfumingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingCitronellol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingPolygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Diethylhexyl Succinate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Citral, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citronellol, Linalool, Polygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract, Geraniol, Citric Acid, Parfum
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 an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCetearyl 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 AlcoholCitral is a fragrance and used to add a lemon-like scent to products. It is both naturally found in plants and created synthetically. In plants, it is commonly occurring in lemon myrtle, lemongrass, lemon tea-tree, lemon verbena, and other citruses.
The EU mandates Citral be listed separately as a fragrance. It is a known allergen and may cause contact dermatitis. Citral can also used as a masking ingredient.
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.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
Learn more about CitralDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlycine Soja Oil comes from the soybean. Glycine Soja is native to eastern Asia.
Soybean oil is an emollient. It is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids including palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
As an emollient, the fatty acids in soybean oil helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. It does so by creating a film on top that traps moisture in.
Soybean oil is also rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. Vitamin E is also anti-inflammatory and provides a soothing effect.
Studies show soy may help fade hyperpigmentation from UVB. It does so by disrupting the melanin process from UVB induced skin inflammation.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne, safe.
Soybeans are rich in proteins and are part of the legume family. Foods made with soybeans include tofu, soymilk, edamame, miso, and soy sauce.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilHydrogenated Vegetable Oil is created by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil in order to give it more stability. This process also raises the melting point of vegetable oil. In cosmetics, it is an emollient.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
The term "Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil" is an umbrella term and can refer to a variety of vegetable oils and blends of: sunflower oil, soybean oil, olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, and more.
Due to the differences in vegetables, the benefits may vary.
Learn more about Hydrogenated Vegetable OilLimonene 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 LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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 (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water