What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientMethyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingMadecassoside
AntioxidantAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningFicus Carica Fruit Extract
HumectantLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingEclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAcmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAmaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningElaeis Guineensis Oil
EmollientAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantSilica
AbrasiveMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCholesterol
EmollientFructooligosaccharides
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantGlucose
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Methyl Trimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Vegetable Oil, Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Ceramide NP, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Behenyl Alcohol, C12-16 Alcohols, Bisabolol, Silica, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cetearyl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Cellulose Gum, Cholesterol, Fructooligosaccharides, Disodium EDTA, Beta-Glucan, Myristic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glucose, Alcohol Denat., Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningC15-19 Alkane
SolventGlycerin
HumectantPolyglyceryl-6 Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientPropanediol
SolventSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingTocopherol
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion StabilisingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantSodium Benzoate
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAlpinia Speciosa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCalcium Gluconate
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Pentylene Glycol, C15-19 Alkane, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Gluconolactone, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Alpinia Speciosa Leaf Extract, Polygonum Fagopyrum Seed Extract, Calcium Gluconate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide
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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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