What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
EmollientSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTrisiloxane
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningC10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
EmulsifyingC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingCymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil
MaskingEthylene Brassylate
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientLaureth-7
EmulsifyingLavandula Hybrida Oil
EmollientLinalool
PerfumingLinalyl Acetate
MaskingLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingOctanal
PerfumingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningPetrolatum
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePhytosterols
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylamide
Polysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingZinc Pyrithione
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Butylene Glycol, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Trisiloxane, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Azelaic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil, Ethylene Brassylate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Laureth-7, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Octanal, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Petrolatum, Phenoxyethanol, Phytosterols, Polyacrylamide, Polysorbate 60, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Zinc Pyrithione
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Glycolate
BufferingGlycolic Acid
BufferingCetearyl Olivate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantCeresin
Emulsion StabilisingGlycol Palmitate
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingSqualane
EmollientMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantEthyl Lactyl Retinoate
AbrasivePalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantUbiquinone
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningAllantoin Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ProtectingSodium PCA
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingCholesterol
EmollientLinolenic Acid
CleansingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantSteareth-2
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrated Silica
AbrasiveCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Glycolate, Glycolic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isohexadecane, Sorbitan Olivate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycerin, Ceresin, Glycol Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Squalane, Methyl Gluceth-20, Ethyl Lactyl Retinoate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Ubiquinone, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Superoxide Dismutase, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Allantoin Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Linoleic Acid, Cholesterol, Linolenic Acid, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Steareth-2, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hydrated Silica, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolThis 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 ButterGlycerin (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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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