What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Glyceryl Diisostearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Aroma
Glycerin
Humectant
Triisostearin
Skin Conditioning
Isostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Malic Acid
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningChrysanthemum Parthenium Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
EDTA
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Diisostearyl Malate, Cera Microcristallina, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Glyceryl Diisostearate, Dimethicone, Aroma, Glycerin, Triisostearin, Isostearyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Hyaluronic Acid, Malic Acid, Allantoin, Squalane, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Water, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, EDTA, Citral, Limonene
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
Emulsifying
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Castor Oil Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning
Polyisobutene
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Ceresin
Emulsion StabilisingTribehenin
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Diisostearyl Malate, Octyldodecanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Castor Oil Dimer Dilinoleate, Polyisobutene, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Candelilla Cera, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Ceresin, Tribehenin, Persea Gratissima Oil, Ceramide NP, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Water, Dehydroacetic Acid
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 ButterDiisostearyl Malate is an emollient and most often used in lip products. It comes from isostearyl alcohol, a fatty acid, and malic acid, an AHA.
As an emollient, Diisostearyl Malate helps create a thin film on your skin to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin soft and smooth.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol 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 Water
