What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Aspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Oil
Emollient
Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed
Perfuming
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Potassium Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Oil, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMagnolol
Antioxidant
Honokiol
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tapioca Starch, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isoamyl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Magnolol, Honokiol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Citric Acid
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWater. 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
