What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingJojoba Esters
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPetrolatum
EmollientSteareth-21
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDistearyldimonium Chloride
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMelatonin
AntioxidantLavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingAcacia Farnesiana Flower Extract
PerfumingHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide Eos
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningCaprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCaprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningStearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Cholesterol
EmollientCeteareth-25
CleansingBehenic Acid
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylparaben
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Dimethicone, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Jojoba Esters, Gluconolactone, Niacinamide, Petrolatum, Steareth-21, Cetyl Alcohol, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Sodium Hyaluronate, Melatonin, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Acacia Farnesiana Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Cholesterol, Ceteareth-25, Behenic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Myristate, Potassium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Ethylhexylglycerin, EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantPetrolatum
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDistearyldimonium Chloride
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantBoswellia Serrata Gum
MaskingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDimethicone
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingStearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSteareth-21
CleansingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEDTA
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Petrolatum, Jojoba Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Glyceryl Stearate, Methyl Gluceth-20, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Bisabolol, Boswellia Serrata Gum, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polysorbate 60, Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Steareth-21, Dipropylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceBehentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateBisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract is from the fruit of the Shea Tree. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.
Chamomile is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Several compounds found in chamomile help with soothing, such as bisbolol.
Antioxidant components in chamomile make it an effective ingredient to help slow the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin.
Essential oils from chamomile have been found to improve wound healing due to its antimicrobial properties.
Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used Chamomile to treat skin redness and dryness. Chamomile has also been used to help treat stomach issues.
Learn more about Chamomilla Recutita Flower ExtractDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDistearyldimonium Chloride is an antistatic agent and a surfactant.
EDTA is the shortened name for ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid. It is a chelating agent and used to stabilize products.
Chelating Agents are used to prevent trace metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This can prevent unwanted reactions or changed efficacy of products.
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateThis ingredient is created by cleaving jojoba oil to remove all fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and wax esters.
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters has emollient, stabilizing, and hair-conditioning properties.
Jojoba Esters is a wax created from Jojoba oil. It is an emollient and film-forming ingredient. In bead form, it is an exfoliator.
This ingredient has high oxidative stability, meaning it doesn't break down when exposed to oxygen.
Its similarity to our skin's natural oils makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe our skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, keeping skin hydrated.
It is created using either the hydrogenation or transesterification processes on jojoba oil.
Learn more about Jojoba EstersPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum may not be safe for fungal-acne. Studies show mineral oil / petroleum leads to the growth of M. Furfur, a type of yeast.
However, it’s worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Fungal acne isn’t about comedogenic ratings. It’s more about whether certain ingredients can feed the yeast on your skin, which can trigger those breakouts.
Learn more about PetrolatumPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxidePropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWe don't have a description for Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate yet.
Steareth-21 is a nonionic emulsifier made by reacting stearyl alcohol with 21 units of ethylene oxide. It is mainly a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
The "21" in the name just tells you it has a longer water-loving chain. This makes it more gentle and less likely to irritate skin compared to lower-numbered steareths.
You'll most likely see it paired with steareth-2 because the two work together to create stable formulations.
1,4-dioxane is often brought up as a concern but this is usually removed through purification.
Learn more about Steareth-21Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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 WaterZingiber Officinale is more commonly known as ginger.
Ginger root has antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and antimicrobial properties.
The antioxidant properties help protect your body from free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. As a result, ginger may help slow down signs of aging such as hyperpigmentation and wrinkles.
Studies show ginger inhibits the enzyme that breaks down collagen. It also helps with:
This ingredient has no negative side-effects and is safe to use unless one has a specific allergy to it.
Ginger originates from Southeast Asia but has spread throughout the world. It is now a common spice used in many cultures.
Learn more about Zingiber Officinale Root Extract