What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Steareth-21
CleansingDimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingDisodium EDTA
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Steareth-21, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Steareth-2, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Tromethamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Disodium EDTA, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Geraniol, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Glyceryl Linolenate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Ulva Lactuca Extract
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Methylpropanediol
SolventDidecyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingSorbitol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-80
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Ceramide NP, Lecithin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Dimethicone, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Oleate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Algae Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ulva Lactuca Extract, Yeast Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Methylpropanediol, Didecyldimonium Chloride, Sorbitol, Polyquaternium-80, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
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 ButterCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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
