What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Acetyl Dipeptide-31 Amide
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Steareth-10
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Dilaurate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Petrolatum
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Bakuchiol, Acetyl Dipeptide-31 Amide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Steareth-10, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Petrolatum, Chlorphenesin
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycerin
Humectant
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingArginine
Masking
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningPlukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Glycerin, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Arginine, Tropolone, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Tocopherol
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 ButterCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to help thicken a product.
It is also used in foods.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
