What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPetrolatum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Acetylated Lanolin
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hc Yellow No. 10
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
PEG-8 Dilaurate
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Ceteareth-20
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBasic Orange 1
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Petrolatum, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, PEG-100 Stearate, Acetylated Lanolin, Glyceryl Stearate, Hc Yellow No. 10, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, PEG-8 Dilaurate, Parfum, Ceteareth-20, Stearyl Alcohol, DMDM Hydantoin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Basic Orange 1, Panthenol, Benzyl Benzoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Limonene, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
Emulsifying
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Ceteareth-20, Polysorbate 60, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Sulfite, Potassium Sorbate, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Caryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
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 ButterCeteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter comes from the Theobroma cacoa, or Cacao tree. Cacao trees are native to tropical landscapes.
Like other plant butters, Cacao seed butter is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. By creating a barrier to trap moisture in, emollients help keep your skin hydrated.
Cacao seed butter contains antioxidants known as polyphenols. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules by stabilizing them. Unstable free-radicals may cause damage to your skin cells. Antioxidants may help with anti-aging.
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter can be bad for acne prone skin.
Learn more about Theobroma Cacao Seed ButterWater. 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
