What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Rosa Canina Seed Extract
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Glycol Palmitate
Emulsifying
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPullulan
Silica
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Rosa Canina Seed Extract, Niacinamide, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Glycol Palmitate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Silica, Parfum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Salicylate
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Psoralea Corylifolia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSantalum Album Oil
Masking
Rosa Centifolia Flower Oil
Masking
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPopulus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCera Alba
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Psoralea Corylifolia Seed Extract, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Santalum Album Oil, Rosa Centifolia Flower Oil, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Water, Ascorbic Acid, Lecithin, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Cera Alba, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Xanthan Gum, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
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 ButterThis 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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTheobroma 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
