What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Distarch Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Sodium PCA, Glycine, Arginine Hcl, Decylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
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 ButterGlycerin (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 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
