What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasivePolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin ConditioningShorea Robusta Resin
TonicGlyceryl Behenate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantRicinus Communis Seed Oil, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Silica, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Shorea Robusta Resin, Glyceryl Behenate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum, CI 77492
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingCandelilla Cera
EmollientEuphorbia Cerifera Cera
AstringentTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin ConditioningIrvingia Gabonensis Kernel Butter
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSalix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopherol
AntioxidantAcacia Decurrens Flower Wax
EmollientPolyglycerin-3
HumectantSorbic Acid
PreservativeVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningStevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Beeswax, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Candelilla Cera, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Jojoba Esters, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Octyldodecanol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Irvingia Gabonensis Kernel Butter, Water, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Tocopherol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Polyglycerin-3, Sorbic Acid, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2 is a synthetic emollient that works as a lanolin substitute.
This ingredient is a great vegan option for those avoiding animal-derived ingredients.
It mostly stays on the surface of skin where it helps hydrate due to its large molecular size and low water solubility.
Due to it being derived from fatty acids, this ingredient may not be Malassezia or fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2This 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 ButterCitric 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 AcidHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax is created from the common sunflower.
Sunflower seed wax is made up of long chain non-glyceride esters, a small amount of fatty alcohols, and fatty acids.
This ingredient is often used to enhance the texture of products. The fatty acid properties also help hydrate the skin.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed WaxThis ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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