What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCeteareth-33
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ceteareth-33, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Pentylene Glycol, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Parfum, Linalool, Coumarin, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Geraniol
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, P-Anisic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, 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.
You may know this ingredient as argan oil. It has emollient and skin conditioning properties that help soften skin and reinforce the lipid barrier.
The fatty acid profile of argan oil is roughly 45-55% oleic acid, 28-36% linoleic acid, 10-15% palmitic acid, and 5-7% stearic acid. It also contains vitamin E, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols like ferulic acid.
Two clinical studies in postmenopausal women found that applying argan oil for 60 days significantly improved skin elasticity and moisturization (reduced transepidermal water loss and increased epidermal water content).
Since it is high in oleic and linoleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Both of these fall in the C11-C24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel OilThis 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 ButterCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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
