What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSucrose Polystearate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingParfum
MaskingCellulose
AbsorbentCetyl Palmitate
EmollientDipsacus Sylvestris Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantActinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantMarrubium Vulgare Extract
Skin ConditioningHedychium Coronarium Root Extract
MaskingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingFurcellaria Lumbricalis Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingLactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningLapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningHeptapeptide-15 Palmitate
Skin ConditioningPolyvinyl Alcohol
Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14
Skin ConditioningWater, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sucrose Polystearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Parfum, Cellulose, Cetyl Palmitate, Dipsacus Sylvestris Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Lapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Maris Sal, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientSucrose Polystearate
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientUndecane
EmollientParfum
MaskingTriheptanoin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTridecane
PerfumingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantXylitylglucoside
HumectantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAnhydroxylitol
HumectantCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingXylitol
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAnigozanthos Flavidus Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantTrehalose
HumectantLinalool
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingAmyris Balsamifera Bark Oil
MaskingJuniperus Virginiana Oil
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingLavandula Hybrida Oil
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingCommiphora Myrrha Gum Oil
PerfumingOpoponax Oil
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingMentha Viridis Leaf Oil
AstringentVetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
MaskingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sucrose Polystearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Undecane, Parfum, Triheptanoin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tridecane, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Anhydroxylitol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Xylitol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Phenoxyethanol, Anigozanthos Flavidus Extract, Disodium EDTA, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Tocopherol, Trehalose, Linalool, Coumarin, Limonene, Citral, Geraniol, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Commiphora Myrrha Gum Oil, Opoponax Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolThis 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 AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideCetyl Palmitate is a wax-like substance.
It comes from palmitic acid and palmityl alcohol. Cetyl Palmitate may not be safe for Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne.
This ingredient is naturally found in the guava fruit and stony corals.
Learn more about Cetyl PalmitateDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 ParfumSodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.
As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.
This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.
Learn more about Sodium Stearoyl GlutamateWe don't have a description for Sucrose Polystearate yet.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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