What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopentyldiol
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C13-15 Alkane
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Honey Extract
Humectant
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Royal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1
Emollient
Aroma
Ormenis Multicaulis Oil
Masking
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingInulin
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cellulose
Absorbent
Fructose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Isopentyldiol, Lactic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C13-15 Alkane, Glycerin, Propanediol, Potassium Hydroxide, Isoamyl Laurate, Salicylic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Honey Extract, Propolis Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Tocopherol, Bisabolol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Lauroyl Lysine, Arachidyl Glucoside, Cellulose Gum, Lecithin, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1, Aroma, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Inulin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Behenyl Alcohol, Cellulose, Fructose, Glucose, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Maltodextrin, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
Arginine
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Kojic Acid
Antioxidant
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Ximenia Americana Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Polysilicone-11
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycolic Acid, Niacinamide, Lactic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Arginine, Allantoin, Tranexamic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Cetyl Esters, Glyceryl Stearate, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Kojic Acid, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Papain, Alpha-Arbutin, Mandelic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ximenia Americana Seed Oil, Sodium PCA, Zinc PCA, Glucose, Sucrose, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citric Acid
Alternatives
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 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidWater. 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
