Nivea A Kiss of Recovery Medicated Lip Care SPF 15 Versus Nivea Blackberry Shine Melt-In Moisture Lip Balm
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Dimethicone 1.2%
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.5%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 6%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 1.8%
UV Absorber
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Menthol
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Iron Oxides
Dimethicone 1.2%, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2.5%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 6%, Octocrylene 1.8%, Octyldodecanol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Beeswax, Cetyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Glycerin, Menthol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Water, Parfum, BHT, Iron Oxides
Rubus Fruticosus Juice
AstringentCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantAroma
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Polyisobutene
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Rubus Fruticosus Juice, CI 42090, CI 77491, CI 15850, CI 77891, Aroma, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, BHT, Silica, Mica, Water, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Synthetic Wax, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cera Microcristallina, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Candelilla Cera, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Octyldodecanol, Polyisobutene, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTThis 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 ButterGlycerin (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 GlycerinOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate is an emulsifer and emollient. It comes from Isostearic Acid and Polyglycerin-3.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize products by preventing oils and water from separating.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 DiisostearateRicinus Communis Seed Oil is the INCI name for castor oil.
Castor Oil helps moisturize the skin. It is rich in a fatty acid called ricinoleic acid. This fatty acid helps prevent moisture loss on the skin. This helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. Ricinoleic acid also has anti-inflammatory and pain reducing properties.
Besides hydrating the skin, castor oil is also used to hydrate hair. By keeping the hair shaft moisturized, breakage is decreased. More studies are needed to show castor oil's effective on stimulating hair growth.
Castor oil is created by cold-pressing castor seeds and then purifying the oil with heat. It was used in Ancient Egypt as fuel in lamps and to help treat eye irritation.
The term '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.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilWater. 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
