What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-200 Glyceryl Stearate
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Mannose
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Acrylates Copolymer
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cocamide Mea
Emulsifying
PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-11
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Coco-Betaine, Polysorbate 20, PEG-200 Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Niacinamide, Mannose, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycol Distearate, Acrylates Copolymer, Citric Acid, Cocamide Mea, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, Pentylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-11, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Soybean Oil
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Glycinate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid 2%, Benzyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Glycine Soja Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Water
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 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 GlycerinSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateChances 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 ChlorideSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
