What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingZea Mays Silk Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantJasminum Officinale Flower Extract
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydrolyzed Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Extract
Emulsion StabilisingAlteromonas Ferment Filtrate
HumectantAphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract
HumectantSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOcimum Basilicum Oil
MaskingGuaiazulene
AntimicrobialTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Iron Oxides
Bambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Citrus Limon Peel
MaskingMalpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEmblica Officinalis Fruit
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientMyrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingMilk
Skin ConditioningLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentTapioca Starch
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Oryza Sativa, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Zea Mays Silk Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrolyzed Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Filtrate, Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Guaiazulene, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Iron Oxides, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Caramel, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Emblica Officinalis Fruit, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Milk, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Tapioca Starch
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantPrunus Cerasus Juice
Skin ConditioningMyrciaria Dubia Fruit Juice
AntioxidantCitrus Limon Juice
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Juice
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingDaucus Carota Sativa Extract
PerfumingTrifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingMilk
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
AntimicrobialDioscorea Villosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingZea Mays Silk Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Germ Extract
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentPectin
Emulsion StabilisingGardenia Florida Oil
TonicZea Mays Germ Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingMyristica Fragrans Extract
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCaesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
CleansingDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventSesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSqualane
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSodium Salicylate
PreservativeLactic Acid
BufferingArgania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract
Skin ConditioningIsomalt
HumectantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantLecithin
EmollientEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Citrus Limon Peel
MaskingMalpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEmblica Officinalis Fruit
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientMyrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Water
MaskingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentTapioca Starch
Thioctic Acid
AntioxidantUbiquinone
AntioxidantOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Prunus Cerasus Juice, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Juice, Citrus Limon Juice, Pyrus Malus Juice, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Extract, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Milk, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Zea Mays Silk Extract, Glycine Soja Germ Extract, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Pectin, Gardenia Florida Oil, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Myristica Fragrans Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Glycerin, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Salicylate, Lactic Acid, Argania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract, Isomalt, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Peel, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Emblica Officinalis Fruit, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Cocos Nucifera Water, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Tapioca Starch, Thioctic Acid, Ubiquinone, Oenothera Biennis Oil
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 Baobab Seed Oil. Like most plant oils, it works by sitting on the skin's surface to slow water loss and keep skin soft.
The fatty acid content of this oil is roughly 25-36% linoleic acid, 20-30% oleic acid, and 25-30% palmitic acid. Plus, it has smaller amounts of stearic and linolenic acid.
Linoleic acid is the most abundant fatty acid naturally found in your epidermis and your skin uses it to build ceramides.
Baobab seed oil also brings some Vitamin E that provides mild antioxidant activity and helps keep the oil itself stable.
An actual human study that ran a 48-hour occlusive patch test found this ingredient caused no significant irritation.
Because this ingredient is full of C16-18 fatty acids that Malassezia feeds on, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Adansonia Digitata Seed OilAloe 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 ButterCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract comes from the common Marigold plant part of the Asteraceae family. This ingredient is a skin conditioner.
Marigolds contain flavonoids. Flavonoids are a group of substances found naturally in plants. They possess antioxidant and inflammation properties.
This ingredient soothes skin inflammation by inhibiting inhibiting a part of the inflammation process.
Marigolds have been used in traditional medicine throughout Asia and Europe.
Learn more about Calendula Officinalis Flower ExtractCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholWe don't have a description for Citrus Limon Peel yet.
This ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
The comedogenic rating of 4/5 means it has a high potential to clog pores; but it's worth noting that comedogenicity is highly individual and ratings cannot predict how an overall formula will behave on skin.
Since lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between 11-24, and lauric acid falls within these lengths (C12).
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera OilDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract comes from the root commonly known as carrot (the orange kind we eat!).
This extract contains beta-carotene, a pigment responsible for giving plants the orange color. Beta-carotene is a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants may help reduce the signs of aging.
Beta-carotene is the reason we turn orange if we eat too many carrots.
It should be noted coming into contact with the leaves of wild carrots can cause skin irritation. The sap causes phytophotodermatitis, or sensitivity exposed to sunlight.
This ingredient is created using the edible parts of the carrot.
Learn more about Daucus Carota Sativa Root ExtractWe don't have a description for Emblica Officinalis Fruit yet.
This extract comes from the Cabbage Palm, AKA the Açaà berry! It has skin soothing and antioxidant properties.
Acai berries are rich in antioxidants, including ferulic acid (The famous vitamin C stabilizer). Antioxidants protect your skin against damaging free-radical molecules.
You can also find carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, minerals, vitamin A, and Vitamin C in these berries.
Learn more about Euterpe Oleracea Fruit ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract comes from the Goji Berry. Goji berries are native to China and can be found across Eurasia.
Goji berries contain polysaccharides, carotenoids and flavonoids. Antioxidants help your body fight off free-radical molecules. These molecules are unstable and may damage your skin. By making free-radicals more stable, antioxidants can help with anti-aging.
Polysaccharides help hydrate the top layer of skin due to its ability to mimic natural carbohydrates.
Learn more about Lycium Barbarum Fruit ExtractWe don't have a description for Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract yet.
Milk comes from cows. It contains proteins, lactic acid, and vitamin A, D, and E.
Milk contains fatty acids in the C12-18 range that are the exact carbon chain lengths that the Malassezia yeast feeds on, like oleic acid and palmitic acid.
This extract comes from the camu camu berry and is known for its exceptionally high vitamin C content.
Tapioca starch is a thickening agent and is made from the cassava root, also known as yucca.
According to a manufacturer, it is an excellent talc replacement.
It is gluten-free.
Learn more about Tapioca StarchTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateVitis Vinifera Seed Oil comes from the grape vine. Grape seeds are a byproduct of creating grape juice or wine.
The components of grape seeds have many skin benefits. Research has found it to be antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. It also contains many potent antioxidants such as Vitamin E , Vitamin C, proanthocyanidins, polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Proanthocyanidin has been shown to help even out skin tone.
Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. Antioxidants help stabilize free-radicals by donating extra electrons. Grape seed extract may help reduce the signs of aging.
The antimicrobial properties of grape seed may help treat acne. However, more research is needed to support this claim.
Grape seed has also been found to help absorb UV rays. Grape seed extract should not replace your sunscreen.
The fatty acids of grape seed oil give it emollient properties. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin by creating a film. This film traps moisture within, keeping your skin hydrated.
Learn more about Vitis Vinifera Seed OilXanthan 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 GumThis ingredient is also known as corn silk extract.