What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-100 Stearate
Propanediol
Solvent
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingMannose
HumectantCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, PEG-100 Stearate, Propanediol, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Sorbitan Tristearate, Dimethiconol, Sodium Chloride, Mannose, Coco-Betaine, Disodium EDTA, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
C13-15 Alkane
SolventPropanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Hydrogenated Olive Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientAgastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, C13-15 Alkane, Propanediol, Squalane, Cetearyl Olivate, Jojoba Esters, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Sclerotium Gum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Colloidal Oatmeal, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrin, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopherol, Linum Usitatissimum Seed 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 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 GlycerinMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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
