What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Carrageenan
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalene
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucosamine Hcl
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Algae Extract
EmollientOrchid Extract
Skin ConditioningTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Glucoside, Carrageenan, Glycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium PCA, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalene, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Yeast Extract, Glucosamine Hcl, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Algae Extract, Orchid Extract, Titanium Dioxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Silt
AbsorbentGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Saccharomyces/Grape Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Camphor
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Malic Acid
Buffering
Phytic Acid
Tartaric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Stearic Acid, Silt, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Gluconolactone, Sorbitan Olivate, Zinc Oxide, Saccharomyces/Grape Ferment Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Camphor, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Citric Acid, Parfum, Mentha Piperita Oil, Xanthan Gum, Benzoic Acid, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Dehydroacetic Acid, Malic Acid, Phytic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, 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 ButterCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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
