What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
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
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Distarch Phosphate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, 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.
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.
Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SeParfum 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 ParfumThis ingredient is also known as sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
