What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cera Alba
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningAroma
Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cera Alba, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Water, Aroma
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
C20-40 Alkyl Stearate
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantOctyldodecanol, Microcrystalline Wax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cetyl Palmitate, Petrolatum, Myristyl Myristate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, C20-40 Alkyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Beeswax, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, CI 77492
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl Palmitate is a wax-ester that pulls triple duty as an emollient, thickener, and emulsion enhancer.
It helps enhance the texture of products by giving a smooth, silky feel while helping to stabilize the formula. The emollient action softens skin and reduces moisture loss.
This ingredient is considered safe and human testing of concentrations between 2.5-2.7% were found minimal irritation. Just know, there have been very rare cases of the palmitate family causing contact dermatitis.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it contains a C16 ester (palmitic acid) that falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about Cetyl PalmitateOctyldodecanol 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.
This ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilThis ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
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
