What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Dalea Spinosa Seed Oil
Masking
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder
Abrasive
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil 0.485%
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Panthenol, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Dalea Spinosa Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Tocopherol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil 0.485%
Oryza Sativa Bran Water
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Vinyldimethicone
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Olivate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Synthetic Beeswax, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Vinyldimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Bisabolol, Cetearyl Olivate, Panthenol, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Tocopherol, Phytosphingosine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin
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 GlycerinThis oil comes from the outer layer (bran) of rice grains. It is packed with skin-friendly fatty acids to soften and condition the skin while supporting your moisture barrier.
What makes it stand out from other plant oils is its naturally high concentration of gamma-oryzanol, a potent antioxidant. This antioxidant has shown some UV-absorptive properties in research.
Other antioxidants found in this oil include tocopherols, tocotrienols, and ferulic acid.
According to manufacturers, this oil has a lightweight texture that absorbs nicely.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics and it has not shown to be a skin sensitizer in testing (unless you have a known rice allergy).
Due to the fatty acids (primarily Oleic Acid ~40%, Linoleic Acid ~30%, and some Palmitic Acid), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Oryza Sativa Bran OilPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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
