What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
C15-19 Alkane
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Vaccinium Corymbosum Seed Oil
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycogen
HumectantCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Propanediol, Niacinamide, C15-19 Alkane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Betaine, Vaccinium Corymbosum Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Beta-Glucan, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Glycogen, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Arginine, Carbomer, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingUrea
Buffering
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Urea, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Chlorphenesin, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
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 ButterCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
