What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
Cleansing
Sarcosine
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantUndecane
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Histidine
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTridecane
Perfuming
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Trehalose
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Squalane, Glycerin, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Sarcosine, Potassium Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Sodium Polyglutamate, Undecane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Histidine, Sodium Lactate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Tridecane, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Trehalose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningImperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyamide-5
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Myristyl Phosphate
CleansingSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTea-Lactate
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Propylparaben
Preservative
BHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Oleanolic Acid, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, PEG-8, Carbomer, Polyamide-5, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclomethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Oleate, Sorbitan Laurate, Myristyl Phosphate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Sodium Gluconate, Tea-Lactate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Citric Acid, Propylparaben, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Ascorbyl Palmitate
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 GlycerinWater. 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
