What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Butter
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
PCA
Humectant
Alanine
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Histidine
Humectant
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Threonine
Valine
MaskingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBehenic Acid
Cleansing
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningMusa Sapientum Pulp Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Pulp Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-25
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Squalane, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coconut Alkanes, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Alanine, Arginine, Glycine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Valine, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Behenic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Beta-Carotene, Musa Sapientum Pulp Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Eos, Cholesterol, Mangifera Indica Pulp Extract, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Zea Mays Oil, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ceteareth-25, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Kaolin
Abrasive
Lecithin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sucrose Polystearate
EmollientGlyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Starch, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Esters, Kaolin, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sucrose Stearate, Zinc Oxide, Sodium PCA, Sucrose Polystearate, Glyceryl Laurate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceThis 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.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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
