What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Dalea Spinosa Seed Oil
Masking
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil 0.485%
Masking
Gellan Gum
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Water, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Bakuchiol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Distarch Phosphate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Dalea Spinosa Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil 0.485%, Gellan Gum, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ferulic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Mangifera Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethyl Ester Of Hydrolyzed Silk
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPullulan
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Oil, Ethyl Ester Of Hydrolyzed Silk, Benzyl Alcohol, Ubiquinone, Arachidyl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Sodium Citrate, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, Dehydroacetic Acid, Parfum
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 ingredient is also known as sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilThis ingredient is the oil from the apricot.
Apricot Kernel Oil is an emollient and helps soften skin. This is due to its fatty acid components. Some of these fatty acids include linoleic and oleic acid.
This ingredient also has antioxidant properties from Vitamins A, C, and E. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. Besides being antioxidants, these vitamins provide plenty of skin benefits as well.
Learn more about Prunus Armeniaca Kernel OilSclerotium Gum is a polysaccharide gum made by the fungus, Sclerotium rolfssii. It is similar to xanthan gum.
In cosmetics, Sclerotium Gum is used to thicken the texture and to help stabilize other ingredients.
As an emulsifier, Sclerotium Gum helps prevent ingredients from separating, such as water and oil.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumTocopherol 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
