What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose Palmitate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
Emollient
Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Punica Granatum Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
Masking
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sucrose Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Punica Granatum Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Linalool, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Geraniol, Limonene, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Tropolone
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice, Caprylyl Glycol, Copper Gluconate, Tropolone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Sodium Polyacrylate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium 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 BenzoateSodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Water. 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
