What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Calcium Ascorbate
Antioxidant
CI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Cinnamyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Glycol Distearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Calcium Ascorbate, CI 77220, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Thioctic Acid, Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Gluconolactone, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Cinnamyl Alcohol, Citral, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Linalool, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Vinyldimethicone
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMethylpropanediol
SolventFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycereth-26, Glyceryl Stearate, Betaine, Behenyl Alcohol, Vinyldimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Methylpropanediol, Fructooligosaccharides, Disodium EDTA, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 ButterCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
