What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Steareth-21
CleansingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Cetearamidopropyldimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientSteareth-2
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Water, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Steareth-21, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Cetearamidopropyldimonium Chloride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Steareth-2, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopherol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Limonene, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Hydroxycitronellal
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientPEG-150/Decyl Alcohol/Smdi Copolymer
Spirulina Maxima Extract
SmoothingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Cetearamidopropyldimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-55
Steareth-20
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, PEG-150/Decyl Alcohol/Smdi Copolymer, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydroxyethyl Cetearamidopropyldimonium Chloride, Behenyl Alcohol, Steareth-2, Polyquaternium-55, Steareth-20, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholThis 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 AlcoholWe don't have a description for Hydroxyethyl Cetearamidopropyldimonium Chloride yet.
Parfum 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 “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
We don't have a description for Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine yet.
Steareth-2 is a waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients. It is created from polyethylene glycol and stearyl alcohol. The 2 stands for the number of ethylene oxide units used to create this ingredient.
Due to the low degree of ethoxylation, the molecule stays mostly oil-loving. That's why you'll often see it paired with water-loving steareth-20 or steareth-21 to create elegant emulsions.
In testing, this ingredient was nontoxic in acute oral studies and not a skin irritant or sensitizer.
You might hear concerns about 1,4-dioxane as a byproduct of ethoxylation; this is well-known in the industry and is controlled through purification steps before the ingredient is blended into finished products.
Learn more about Steareth-2Water. 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
