What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientTricaprylin
Perfuming
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Squalane
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Tribehenin
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Sterols
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientHydrolyzed Algin
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Bulnesia Sarmientoi Wood Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil
Masking
Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil
Masking
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Masking
Vanilla Tahitensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningJasminum Sambac Flower Extract
Masking
Viola Odorata Leaf Extract
MaskingGamma-Nonalactone
Masking
Vanillin
Masking
Methyl Anthranilate
MaskingLinalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Tricaprylin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Squalane, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Betaine, Tribehenin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Lactobacillus Ferment, Caffeine, Ceramide NP, Punica Granatum Sterols, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Stearyl Alcohol, Isostearic Acid, Bulnesia Sarmientoi Wood Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Vanilla Tahitensis Fruit Extract, Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract, Viola Odorata Leaf Extract, Gamma-Nonalactone, Vanillin, Methyl Anthranilate, Linalool, Citral, Limonene, Citronellol, Eugenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Oil
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Petrolatum, Paraffinum Liquidum, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid
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 ButterCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
