What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Abrasive
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Orobanche Rapum Extract
Skin ProtectingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Jojoba Esters, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isoamyl Laurate, Betaine, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Orobanche Rapum Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Levulinate, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Sodium Anisate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitol, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Niacinamide, Allantoin, Panthenol, Arginine, Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium PCA, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetyl Alcohol
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 ButterCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWater. 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
