What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDecyl Oleate
EmollientSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Dibehenate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlyceryl Cocoate
EmollientTribehenin
EmollientCoco-Glucoside
CleansingHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientSucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate
EmollientGlyceryl Behenate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningZinc Glycinate
BufferingCalendula Officinalis Flower Oil
MaskingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingDimethyl Sulfone
SolventTocopherol
AntioxidantRosa Canina Seed Oil
EmollientAleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningInulin
Skin ConditioningDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPelargonium Graveolens Oil
MaskingVitis Vinifera Oil
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glycerin, Decyl Oleate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Tribehenin, Coco-Glucoside, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Sucrose Tetrastearate Triacetate, Glyceryl Behenate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Zinc Glycinate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Dimethyl Sulfone, Tocopherol, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Inulin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Vitis Vinifera Oil, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHexyldecanol
EmollientDisiloxane
Skin ConditioningCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientPropylene Carbonate
SolventHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin ConditioningPPG-24-Glycereth-24
EmulsifyingPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningUbiquinone
AntioxidantHoney Extract
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantAlgae Extract
EmollientZingiber Officinale Extract
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
MaskingPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSorbitol
HumectantCetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningPolysilicone-11
Benzoic Acid
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeSodium Phytate
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Polysorbate 80
EmulsifyingHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientPvp
Emulsion StabilisingCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingAlcohol
AntimicrobialPotassium Phosphate
BufferingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Propanediol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Triheptanoin, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Hexyldecanol, Disiloxane, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Diheptyl Succinate, Propylene Carbonate, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, PPG-24-Glycereth-24, Phenyl Trimethicone, Retinol, Ubiquinone, Honey Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Algae Extract, Zingiber Officinale Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phospholipids, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Lecithin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, 1,2-Hexanediol, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sorbitol, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, Polysilicone-11, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Polysorbate 80, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Stearic Acid, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Pvp, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Alcohol, Potassium Phosphate, Decyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol
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 ButterDehydroacetic Acid is fungicide and bactericide. It is used as a preservative in cosmetics. Preservatives help elongate the shelf life of a product.
Dehydroacetic Acid is not soluble in water.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilTocopherol (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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water