What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Bacopa Monnieri Extract
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWithania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGmelina Arborea Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOroxylum Indicum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPremna Serratifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Indicum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Xanthocarpum Root Extract
MaskingStereospermum Suaveolens Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTribulus Terrestris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTrigonella Foenum-Graecum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Orbignya Speciosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Water
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-10
Citric Acid
Buffering
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Coumarin
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Parfum, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bacopa Monnieri Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Gmelina Arborea Root Extract, Oroxylum Indicum Root Extract, Premna Serratifolia Root Extract, Solanum Indicum Root Extract, Solanum Xanthocarpum Root Extract, Stereospermum Suaveolens Root Extract, Tribulus Terrestris Root Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Trigonella Foenum-Graecum Seed Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Orbignya Speciosa Kernel Oil, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Water, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-10, Citric Acid, Isopropyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Coumarin, Citronellol
Water
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phytantriol
HumectantMentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentLawsonia Inermis Extract
Antimicrobial
Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningHumulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentHoney
Humectant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-2 Cocoate
Emulsifying
Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Polysorbate 20, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Panthenol, Phytantriol, Mentha Piperita Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Lawsonia Inermis Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Honey, Biotin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycereth-2 Cocoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe 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 ButterCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl 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 StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sesame oil comes from sesame seeds. Sesame oil is rich in fatty acids and Vitamin E.
It has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. The phenolic compounds of this ingredient (including vitamin E) give it these properties.
Unrefined sesame oil has a comedogenic rating of 3, while refined sesame oil has a rating of 1. This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
The fatty acids in sesame oil include linoleic acid (41%), oleic acid (39%), palmitic acid (8%), stearic acid (5%), and some small traces of others.
Learn more about Sesamum Indicum Seed OilTocopheryl 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 AcetateWater. 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
