What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-60 Almond Glycerides
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNordihydroguaiaretic Acid
Antioxidant
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningImperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantPolyamide-5
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone Copolyol
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Myristyl Malate Phosphonic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPurasal Moist Xs
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Propylparaben
Preservative
BHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Oleanolic Acid, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, PEG-8, Polyamide-5, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone Copolyol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Oleate, Sorbitan Laurate, Myristyl Malate Phosphonic Acid, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Sodium Gluconate, Purasal Moist Xs, Stearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Citric Acid, Propylparaben, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Ascorbyl Palmitate
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPolyacrylate-13
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyisobutene
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Bran Extract
Abrasive
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Ceramide Complex
Glucose
Humectant
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Polyacrylate-13, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyisobutene, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Ceramide Complex, Glucose
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 ButterCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
