What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Methylsilanol Mannuronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Betaine
Humectant
Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Niacinamide, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Betaine, Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, BHT, Parfum, CI 15985, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Glycine Soja Hull
Abrasive
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Triethanolamine
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Bisabolol, Arginine, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Glycine Soja Hull, Ceramide EOP, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Triethanolamine, Sodium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Benzoate
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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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
