What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlumina
Abrasive
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Solum Diatomeae
Abrasive
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Butylparaben
Masking
Epilobium Angustifolium Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Algin
Water, Alumina, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Solum Diatomeae, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Algin
Water
Skin ConditioningPerlite
Absorbent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearyl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Perlite, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Stearyl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Limonene, Lactobacillus Ferment, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Linalool
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
