What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Dibutyl Adipate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pentylene Glycol, Allantoin, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cetearyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Tropolone
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice, Caprylyl Glycol, Copper Gluconate, Tropolone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Sodium Polyacrylate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 ButterCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
