What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Carbomer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Sodium Hydroxide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Disodium EDTA, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Calcium Silicate
AbsorbentCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPersea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Caprylate
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Citronellol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Isoamyl Laurate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Water, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polysorbate 60, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Calcium Silicate, Carbomer, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Caprylate, Propanediol, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal
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 CarbomerCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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.
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
