What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Swertia Japonica Extract
Skin ConditioningCyperus Esculentus Tuber Extract
Skin ProtectingSymphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCoconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopherol, Swertia Japonica Extract, Cyperus Esculentus Tuber Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Coconut Acid, Sodium Isethionate
Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningArnica Montana Extract
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Adansonia Digitata Oil
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Protein
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingExtracts
Essential Oils
Symphytum Officinale Callus Culture Extract, Arnica Montana Extract, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Parfum, Adansonia Digitata Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Protein, Xanthan Gum, Extracts, Essential Oils
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 ButterCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.
It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinSodium cocoyl isethionate is a natural ingredient from coconut oil. It is an ultra gentle cleanser that gives a nice foam without drying the skin or impacting the skin barrier.
The amount of foam created depends on the amount of sodium cocoyl isethionate used in the product.
This ingredient also helps improve the spreadability of a product.
This ingredient hasn’t been shown in studies to feed fungal acne yeast.
Learn more about Sodium Cocoyl IsethionateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolXanthan 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
