What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Colloidal Oatmeal, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Stearic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Reviews
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 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 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 Water
