What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLevulinic Acid
PerfumingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningP-Anisic Acid
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Dicaprylyl Ether, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Maltodextrin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Decylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Chloride
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentStearyl Alcohol
EmollientRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingStearic Acid
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Phytate
Arginine
MaskingMyristic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientPropanediol
SolventCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantSalicylic Acid
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Ether, Alcohol Denat., Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Zea Mays Starch, Stearyl Alcohol, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, Arginine, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Salicylic Acid, Linalool, Citronellol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterThis ingredient is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDicaprylyl Ether is created from caprylic acid. It is a texture-enhancer and emollient.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Ether is non-comedogenic. It helps soften and smooth the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, helping to hydrate the skin.
Dicaprylyl Ether gives a non-greasy feel and better spreadability to products.
Learn more about Dicaprylyl EtherGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum