What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride 2%
Citric Acid
BufferingTartaric Acid
BufferingCetyl Esters
EmollientCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantParfum 2%
MaskingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Isopropyl Myristate, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride 2%, Citric Acid, Tartaric Acid, Cetyl Esters, Caramel, Parfum 2%
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Caprylate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningAmaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningEquisetum Arvense Leaf Extract
AstringentAcanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicParfum
MaskingPolyquaternium-7
Polyquaternium-10
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate, Propanediol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide Ng, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Arginine, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Hydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract, Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract, Biotin, Parfum, Polyquaternium-7, Polyquaternium-10, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric 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 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidThis ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
The comedogenic rating of 4/5 means it has a high potential to clog pores; but it's worth noting that comedogenicity is highly individual and ratings cannot predict how an overall formula will behave on skin.
Since lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between 11-24, and lauric acid falls within these lengths (C12).
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera OilGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
While Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil can be volatile due to its fragrant properties, the fragrance components are usually removed in the leaf extract.
Rosemary Leaf Extract contains many antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid. Rosemarinic acid, a compound found in rosemary leaf, has been found to help soothe skin conditions such as eczema and acne.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract