What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pantolactone
Humectant
Creatine
Skin Conditioning1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Sulfate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 47005
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methylpropanediol, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Bakuchiol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Pantolactone, Creatine, 1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 15985, CI 47005
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Sunflower Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Sunflower Seed Oil Glyceryl Esters
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Squalene
Emollient
Phytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Biphenyl Azepanyl Methanone
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Pelargonium Roseum Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Sunflower Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Hydrogenated Sunflower Seed Oil Glyceryl Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Ether, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Squalene, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Tocopherol, Phytosterols, Glycerin, Biphenyl Azepanyl Methanone, Propanediol, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Pelargonium Roseum Leaf Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool
Reviews
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 ButterCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 GlycerinWater. 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
