What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantOctyldodecanol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientOctadecene
SolventSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
CleansingStearyl Dimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Sodium PCA
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLactic Acid
BufferingArginine
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantProline
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentAspartic Acid
MaskingMethionine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingLysine
Skin ConditioningValine
MaskingSerine
MaskingHistidine
HumectantThreonine
Tyrosine
MaskingCysteine
AntioxidantIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ag
HumectantOryza Sativa Cera
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningSphingolipids
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Water, Urea, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Octadecene, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium PCA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Lactic Acid, Arginine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Aspartic Acid, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Leucine, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Lysine, Valine, Serine, Histidine, Threonine, Tyrosine, Cysteine, Isoleucine, Alanine, Glycine, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Ceramide Ag, Oryza Sativa Cera, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantTapioca Starch
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingDodecane
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningBertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
EmollientMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientIlex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract
PerfumingOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLawsonia Inermis Extract
AntimicrobialCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDimethicone
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMica
Cosmetic ColorantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Sorbitan Tristearate, Parfum, Dodecane, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Ilex Paraguariensis Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Lawsonia Inermis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Dimethicone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Coumarin, Eugenol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerThis 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 AlcoholDimethicone 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 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.
Water. 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