What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Polybutene
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientMyristyl Myristate
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ribes Nigrum
EmollientRibes Nigrum Seed Oil
Emollient
Echium Lycopsis Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil
Masking
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Polyethylene, Polybutene, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Myristyl Myristate, Beeswax, Octyldodecanol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Cetyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Ribes Nigrum, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Echium Lycopsis Fruit Oil, Coriandrum Sativum Fruit Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, CI 77891, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja Oil, Myristyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Isohexadecane
EmollientHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Drometrizole Trisiloxane
UV Absorber
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, Polyethylene, Isohexadecane, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Octocrylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Paraffin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Microcrystalline Wax, Citric Acid, Glycine Soja Oil, Synthetic Wax, Tocopherol, Parfum
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 ButterCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilPolyethylene is a synthetic ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. It is a polymer.
It is also typically used within product formulations to help bind solid ingredients together and thicken oil-based ingredients. When added to balms and emulsions, it helps increase the melting point temperature.
This ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilTocopherol 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 Tocopherol
