What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isodecyl Laurate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isodecyl Laurate, Butylene Glycol, Zea Mays Starch, Cetyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylene Glycol, P-Anisic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Persica Fruit Extract
Abrasive
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, P-Anisic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerThis 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 ButterDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 Glycerinp-anisic acid is an aromatic compound that is naturally found in some plants. It is mainly used as a fragrance ingredient but also has preservative and antimicrobial properties.
The effectiveness of this ingredient as a preservative and antimicrobial depends on the pH (with more acidic being better). This is the reason you'll see this ingredient bundled with other preservatives.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium 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
