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
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
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, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, P-Anisic Acid, Carbomer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Glycinate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingStearic Acid
Cleansing
PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide
Emulsifying
Undecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingTetrasodium EDTA
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic Acid
CleansingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Capric Acid
Cleansing
Hydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Glycinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, Lauric Acid, Glycerin, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Carbomer, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, PPG-2 Hydroxyethyl Cocamide, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Capryloyl Glycine, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Glycol Stearate, Caprylic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Capric Acid, Hydroxystearic Acid, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
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 ButterCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 ParfumSodium 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
