What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Oleate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Borago Officinalis Extract
Emollient
Biosaccharide Gum-2
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCyclomethicone
Emollient
Lanolin
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Phytic Acid
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Carboxymethyl Betaglucan
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sorbitol
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Decyl Oleate, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, C12-16 Alcohols, Glycerin, Borago Officinalis Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cyclomethicone, Lanolin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Phospholipids, Ubiquinone, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Palmitic Acid, Thioctic Acid, Phytic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Carboxymethyl Betaglucan, Lactic Acid, Serine, Sodium Lactate, Sorbitol, Urea, Tocopherol, Tripeptide-1, Allantoin, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sodium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Alcohol Denat., Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Parfum
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 ButterGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
