What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningBassia Latifolia Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Citrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientVaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cera Alba, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Glyceryl Behenate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Wax, Tocopherol, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Bassia Latifolia Seed Butter, Glycerin, Water, Octyldodecanol, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Bear Oil
Emollient
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oil/Hydrogenated Moringa Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Badger Oil
Skin Conditioning
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aquilaria Agallocha Wood Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGardenia Florida Oil
Tonic
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Glycerin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Bear Oil, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Moringa Oil/Hydrogenated Moringa Oil Esters, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Badger Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Beeswax, Tocopherol, Aquilaria Agallocha Wood Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Gardenia Florida Oil, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
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 GlycerinThis ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
Learn more about Olea Europaea Fruit OilJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
