What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Coco-Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Citric Acid, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Parfum, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate
CleansingBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Arctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWheat Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate
Emulsifying
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Xylenesulfonate
Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Oleoyl Taurate, Beta-Glucan, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Wheat Amino Acids, Panthenol, Allantoin, Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, Glycol Distearate, Hydroxyproline, Lactic Acid, Laureth-4, Lauryl Glucoside, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Polyacrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium PCA, Sodium Xylenesulfonate
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 ButterCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
