What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
C13-15 Alkane
SolventHydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tribehenin
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningBixa Orellana Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningLinolenic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Gondoic Acid
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C10-18 Triglycerides, Mangifera Indica Seed Oil, C13-15 Alkane, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters, Jojoba Esters, Linoleic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tribehenin, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Silica Silylate, Glycol Distearate, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Plankton Extract, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Glycol Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyglycerin-3, Tocopherol, Water, Linolenic Acid, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Behenic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Gondoic Acid, Geraniol, Citral, Linalool, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-8 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Acacia Decurrens/Jojoba/Sunflower Seed Wax/Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantSqualane
Emollient
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Sericin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Tocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
PEG-75 Stearate
Surfactant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Tribehenin
Emollient
Ceteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingButylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol
CleansingElaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Acacia Decurrens/Jojoba/Sunflower Seed Wax/Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethoxydiglycol, Squalane, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Panthenol, Ectoin, Phospholipids, Hydrolyzed Sericin, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Ceramide Ng, Tocotrienols, Tocopherol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, PEG-75 Stearate, Benzyl Alcohol, Tribehenin, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Butylene Glycol, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid
Reviews
Alternatives
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 ButterCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that 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. Just 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.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlyceryl 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 StearateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolTribehenin is the triglyceride of glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient that helps soften and condition skin.
Safety-wise, this is a well-vetted ingredient. Repeated-insult patch tests of 0.38% tribehenin did not trigger sensitization.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because behenic acid falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia yeasts can feed on.
Learn more about TribeheninWater. 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
