What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAdipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol Crosspolymer
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentSucrose Palmitate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCandelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
EmulsifyingSaccharomyces/Grape Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPullulan
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Linoleate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantColloidal Gold
AntimicrobialPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantGeraniol
PerfumingGeranyl Acetate
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingNerolidol
PerfumingWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol Crosspolymer, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sucrose Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Saccharomyces/Grape Ferment Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Stearate, Pullulan, Carbomer, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Cellulose Gum, Glyceryl Linoleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Mica, Colloidal Gold, Phospholipids, Potassium Sorbate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, CI 77891, CI 75470, Geraniol, Geranyl Acetate, Citronellol, Nerolidol
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSteareth-2
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
MaskingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientKaolin
AbrasiveSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasivePentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMorinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitronellol
PerfumingMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingTocopherol
AntioxidantAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingCollagen Amino Acids
MoisturisingRhizobian Gum
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCoumarin
PerfumingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Parfum, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Kaolin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Citronellol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Linalool, Tocopherol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Hydroxycitronellal, Disodium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Collagen Amino Acids, Rhizobian Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Coumarin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate
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 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 ButterCarbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolDisodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Glycerin 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 GlycerinLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate is a natural preservative. It comes from fermenting radish roots with a bacteria called leuconostoc.
Leuconostoc comes from lactic acid.
This ingredient has antimicrobial properties and helps prevent the growth of bacteria in a product.
Leuconostoc is used to make the traditional Korean side-dish, kimchi. It is also used to make sourdough bread (both incredibly yummy foods).
Learn more about Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment FiltrateParfum 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol (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 Water