What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Lactate
Buffering
Petrolatum
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Steareth-21
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate
Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Gluconolactone, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Ammonium Lactate, Petrolatum, Potassium Hydroxide, Propanediol, Salicylic Acid, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Steareth-21, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Jojoba Esters, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Caprylyl Methicone, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate, Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Water, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Palmitate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Zea Mays Starch, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Caprylyl Glycol, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Titanium Dioxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlyceryl 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 StearateTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter comes from the Theobroma cacoa, or Cacao tree. Cacao trees are native to tropical landscapes.
Like other plant butters, Cacao seed butter is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. By creating a barrier to trap moisture in, emollients help keep your skin hydrated.
Cacao seed butter contains antioxidants known as polyphenols. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules by stabilizing them. Unstable free-radicals may cause damage to your skin cells. Antioxidants may help with anti-aging.
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter can be bad for acne prone skin.
Learn more about Theobroma Cacao Seed ButterWater. 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
