What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingLecithin
EmollientPullulan
Glycerin
HumectantCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Sorbitan Trioleate
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTanacetum Vulgare Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientMentha Piperita Extract
CleansingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientApium Graveolens Seed Extract
AntioxidantLinum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
PerfumingWater, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Arginine, Lecithin, Pullulan, Glycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sorbitan Trioleate, Sodium Phytate, Sclerotium Gum, Tanacetum Vulgare Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Mentha Piperita Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Apium Graveolens Seed Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSqualane
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPotassium Lactate
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Citrate
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Silica, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Potassium Lactate, Tocopherol, Sodium Citrate, Lactic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citric Acid
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 ButterThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus 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 OilSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneXanthan 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