What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-75 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ceteth-20
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-20
CleansingCeteareth-20
CleansingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-75 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Squalane, Dimethicone, Ceteth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Steareth-20, Ceteareth-20, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Limonene, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tocopherol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Polyacrylamide
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylamide, Phenoxyethanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Parfum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ceteareth-20, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Alcohol, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
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 ButterCeteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
