What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantGlycol Distearate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingSorghum Bicolor Stalk Juice
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSecale Cereale Seed Extract
AbrasiveAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Laurate
EmulsifyingTrifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
Buffering3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid
SurfactantCalcium Hydroxymethionine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingNelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDextran
Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycol Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentylene Glycol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Sorghum Bicolor Stalk Juice, Ethylhexylglycerin, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Allantoin, Sorbitan Laurate, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, 3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid, Calcium Hydroxymethionine, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Carbomer, Dextran
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientCholesterol
EmollientPhytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningRetinal
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingOleic Acid
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Squalane, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Cholesterol, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglutamic Acid, Ceramide NP, Retinal, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Tocopherol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA
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 ButterCeramide 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 NPCholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolDisodium 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