What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearates
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Tetradecane
Perfuming
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingDarutoside
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearates, Cetearyl Olivate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sorbitan Olivate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Tetradecane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Darutoside, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientBetaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHoney
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingRosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentUbiquinone
Antioxidant
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Betaine, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Isopropyl Myristate, Isoamyl Laurate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Triethanolamine, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Carbomer, Honey, Parfum, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Citrate, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Squalane, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Hydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract, Dextrin, Ubiquinone
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 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateGlycerin (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 GlycerinSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil (aka marula oil) is a skin hydrating ingredient.
Its fatty acid profile is dominated by oleic acid (~69%), palmitic acid (~15%), linoleic acid (~9%), and palmitoleic acid (~4%).
These fatty acids are very similar to those naturally found in the epidermis, making this oil biomimetic; basically, your skin recognizes it.
Clinical testing found this ingredient to be moisturizing and non-irritating, with noteworthy effects on reducing transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
Besides fatty acids, marula oil is also rich in oxidative stabilizers like vitamin E, vitamin C precursors, and polyphenols. This gives it excellent shelf stability compared to most facial oils.
This is a great ingredient for dry, dull, or barrier-compromised skin.
Just know it may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fatty acids can as as a food source for the Malassezia yeast.
Learn more about Sclerocarya Birrea Seed OilSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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
