What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCera Alba
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantVanillin
Masking
Maltol
MaskingSodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cera Alba, Glyceryl Stearate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arachidyl Glucoside, PEG-100 Stearate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Vanillin, Maltol, Sodium Bicarbonate
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Vitis Vinifera
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Propyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Telmesteine
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Pentylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Capryloyl Glycine, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Piroctone Olamine, Sodium Hydroxide, Allantoin, DMDM Hydantoin, Vitis Vinifera, Disodium EDTA, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propyl Gallate, Telmesteine, Butylene Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinArachidyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol made from the the arachidic acid found in peanut oil.
Despite having "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethanol.
This ingredient is a multitasker:
Just be sure to patch this ingredient if you have a peanut allergy (though this ingredient is highly processed and the allergenic proteins are typically removed).
Learn more about Arachidyl AlcoholThis ingredient is a plant-based surfactant and emulsifier. It helps oil and water based ingredients mix evenly to improve formula stability without adding a "greasy" feel.
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 AlcoholBisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololThis 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 ButterEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl 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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
