What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Distarch Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Sodium PCA, Glycine, Arginine Hcl, Decylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetrimonium Bromide
Antimicrobial
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBorage Seed Oil Aminopropanediol Amides
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Octyldodecanol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Behenyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Piroctone Olamine, Xanthan Gum, Cetrimonium Bromide, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Sodium Hydroxide, Borage Seed Oil Aminopropanediol Amides, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Asiaticoside, Phytosphingosine, Triethyl Citrate, Tocopherol, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Behenic Acid, Ceramide NP, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Lactic Acid, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholThis 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 ButterCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPGlycerin (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 GlycerinOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate is a type of sulfate.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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
