What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPopulus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicAleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Extract
HumectantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Nelumbo Nucifera Extract
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Isoamyl Laurate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Propanediol, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Nelumbo Nucifera Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Oryza Sativa Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Alcohol, Sodium Anisate
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Domestica Seed Extract
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Prunus Domestica Seed Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Glycerin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethyl Oleate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Reviews
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 ButterCitric 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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilSodium 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 Hyaluronate
