What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentArginine
Masking
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, PEG-100 Stearate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Arginine, Sodium PCA, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Cellulose Gum, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Maltodextrin, Ceramide NP
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingIngredients 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 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 StearatePentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
