What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Parfum
Masking
Polyquaternium-72
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium PCA
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWheat Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isoamyl Laurate, Cetyl Esters, Isopropyl Palmitate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Parfum, Polyquaternium-72, Butylene Glycol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium PCA, Xanthan Gum, Wheat Amino Acids, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningPvp
Emulsion StabilisingAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Vp/Va Copolymer
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Ceteareth-25
CleansingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-20m
Emulsion StabilisingCeteareth-20
CleansingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Silica
Abrasive
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Pvp, Alcohol Denat., Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Vp/Va Copolymer, Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Ceteareth-25, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-20m, Ceteareth-20, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Silica, Coumarin, Linalool, Limonene
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 AlcoholLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum 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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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.
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter comes from the Theobroma cacoa, or Cacao tree. Cacao trees are native to tropical landscapes.
Like other plant butters, Cacao seed butter is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. By creating a barrier to trap moisture in, emollients help keep your skin hydrated.
Cacao seed butter contains antioxidants known as polyphenols. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules by stabilizing them. Unstable free-radicals may cause damage to your skin cells. Antioxidants may help with anti-aging.
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter can be bad for acne prone skin.
Learn more about Theobroma Cacao Seed ButterWater. 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
