What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingParfum
MaskingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPEG-100 Stearate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-8 Stearate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeIsohexadecane
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingChenopodium Quinoa Seed Oil Ethyl Esters
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingTriethanolamine
BufferingCalanthe Discolor Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum, Sorbitan Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG-100 Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, PEG-8 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Isohexadecane, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Oil Ethyl Esters, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Calanthe Discolor Extract, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Gluconate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialUrea
BufferingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingLactic Acid
BufferingSorbitol
HumectantSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycolic Acid
BufferingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactobionic Acid
BufferingSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide Eos
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCaproyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningCaprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientSqualene
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingBoswellia Serrata Gum Extract
Skin ConditioningSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCeteareth-25
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenic Acid
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Urea, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lactic Acid, Sorbitol, Sorbitan Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycolic Acid, Gluconolactone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactobionic Acid, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Caproyl Sphingosine, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Cholesterol, Squalene, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Boswellia Serrata Gum Extract, Superoxide Dismutase, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 60, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ceteareth-25, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
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 ButterC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Due to its solubility, it is often used in sunscreens to help evenly distribute active ingredients.
As an emollient, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate helps soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on your skin that traps moisture within.
This ingredient has been reported to cause eye irritation.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateThis ingredient is a lightweight 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. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateSorbitan Stearate comes from sorbitol and stearic acid. Sorbitol is a type of sugar and stearic acid is a fatty acid.
It is used as an emulsifier and helps ingredients stay together by creating water-in-oil emulsions.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
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 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