What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientPetrolatum
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Ceteareth-20
CleansingButylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Butyrospermum Parkii Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Petrolatum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum, Ceteareth-20, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylparaben, Caramel
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventDimethicone
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether
EmollientPropylene Glycol Isostearate
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Methylparaben
Preservative
Benzalkonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningBis-Methoxypropylamido Isodocosane
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Tapioca Starch, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Palmitate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Propylene Glycol Isostearate, Panthenol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Benzalkonium Chloride, Ethylparaben, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Bis-Methoxypropylamido Isodocosane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide EOP
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 ButterCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylparaben is a preservative, is a paraben, and is not reef safe.
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 GlycerinMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum may not be safe for fungal-acne. Studies show mineral oil / petroleum leads to the growth of M. Furfur, a type of yeast.
However, it’s worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Fungal acne isn’t about comedogenic ratings. It’s more about whether certain ingredients can feed the yeast on your skin, which can trigger those breakouts.
Learn more about PetrolatumTocopheryl 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
