What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingDimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Pantolactone
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium PCA, Pantolactone, Glyceryl Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Petrolatum
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Betula Alba Bark Extract
Masking
Boswellia Serrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthophylls
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Glucose
Humectant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
PEG-8 Stearate
Emulsifying
Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantCellulose
Absorbent
Sodium Acetate
BufferingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Petrolatum, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Soluble Collagen, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Sodium Ascorbate, Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthophylls, Zea Mays Starch, Glucose, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Isopropyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Stearate, Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl, Parfum, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Butylene Glycol, Caramel, Cellulose, Sodium Acetate, Stearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol
Reviews
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 ButterDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
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 (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
