What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Isosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingSucrose Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Cetearyl Olivate, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Glyceryl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Ectoin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sucrose Distearate, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCamellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Unsaponifiables
Antioxidant
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningGlycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Behenyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Unsaponifiables, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Phytosterols, Ceramide NP, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycolipids, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
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 TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPGlycerin (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 StearateThis ingredient is used in skincare as a delivery system.
It works by "encapsulating" active ingredients with its unique ring shape that is water-loving on the outside and oil-loving on the inside. This improves the stability and absorption of the product into the skin.
According to a manufacturer, it also offer some moisturizing effects.
Learn more about Hydroxypropyl CyclodextrinThis synthetic, signal peptide has unique skin conditioning properties in that is a matrikine-mimetic compound.
First of all, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 is a signal peptide; signal peptides tell the body to create more collagen.
What is a matrikine-mimetic compound?
This peptide has the ability to mimic matrikines in skin. Our skin created matrikines by breaking down matrix proteins into peptides.
Matrikines play a role in:
Though further research is needed, this ingredient seems pretty promising. In one study, women over the age of 40 with visible photoaging used a vitamin C serum with this ingredient for 56 days (15% ascorbid acid, 5 ppm palmitoyl tripeptide‐38). The results found improvement in skin roughness and skin tone.
This peptide is also part of the famous Matrixyl synthe’6, a blend of ingredients that also includes glycerin, water, and hydroxypropyl cyclodextrin.
Learn more about Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38Pentylene 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 GlycolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
