What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Potato Starch Modified
Sea Salt
Abrasive
Water
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Kaolin
Abrasive
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Palm Alcohol
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Betula Alba Bark Extract
Masking
Canola Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potato Starch Modified, Sea Salt, Water, Zea Mays Starch, Kaolin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Palm Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Canola Oil, Dimethicone, Trehalose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Beeswax, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingKaolin
Abrasive
Sorbitol
Humectant
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aluminometasilicate
AbsorbentZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Curcuma Longa Rhizome Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Citric Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Kaolin, Sorbitol, Triethylhexanoin, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Water, Trehalose, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Magnesium Aluminometasilicate, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Betaine, Polyacrylamide, Propylene Glycol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyacetophenone, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Rhizome Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-7, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Citric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Caprylate
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 ButterThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
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 GlycerinKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilTrehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.
As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.
In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.
Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.
Learn more about TrehaloseWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
