What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Laureth-9
EmulsifyingGossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
C12-13 Alkyl Lactate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Olive Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid 2%, Water, Urea, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Laureth-9, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, C12-13 Alkyl Lactate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethicone, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Citric Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningCanola Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cera Alba
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Zinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientMagnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Water, Canola Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cera Alba, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Zinc Sulfate, Tocopherol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Magnesium Stearate, Parfum, P-Anisic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbyl Palmitate
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 ButterGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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
