What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Quaternium-91
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Stearalkonium Chloride
Preservative
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Lactobacillus/Tomato Fruit Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Keratin Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Acyl Coenzyme A Desaturase
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Quaternium-91, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Stearalkonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Myristyl Myristate, Lactobacillus/Tomato Fruit Ferment Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Keratin Amino Acids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Acyl Coenzyme A Desaturase, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Amodimethicone
Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dicetyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-37
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Vp/Dmapa Acrylates Copolymer
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Polyquaternium-7
Trideceth-15
EmulsifyingTrideceth-3
EmulsifyingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
C12-13 Pareth-23
CleansingC12-13 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingPolyurethane-14
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Amp-Acrylates Copolymer
Fumaric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Rosa Canina Flower Extract
AstringentLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Melilotus Officinalis Extract
AstringentSalvia Officinalis Extract
Antimicrobial
Benzalkonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Trisodium Hedta
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
PEG-45m
HumectantBHT
Antioxidant
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Dimethicone, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Parfum, Polysorbate 60, Amodimethicone, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-37, Citric Acid, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Potassium Sorbate, Vp/Dmapa Acrylates Copolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isopropyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-7, Trideceth-15, Trideceth-3, Hexylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Alcohol Denat., C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Polyurethane-14, Lauryl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Amp-Acrylates Copolymer, Fumaric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Rosa Canina Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Melilotus Officinalis Extract, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Benzalkonium Chloride, Trisodium Hedta, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, PEG-45m, BHT
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 AcidParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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
