What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingLactose
HumectantCellulose
Absorbent
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingJojoba Esters
Emollient
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Water, Urea, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Carbomer, Lactose, Cellulose, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Jojoba Esters, CI 77492, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ceteareth-20
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil
Masking
Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Dextran
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ceteareth-20, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Citrus Reticulata Peel Oil, Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract, Carbomer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Disodium EDTA, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Dextran, Ethylhexylglycerin, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Gluconolactone, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Linalool
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 ButterCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 AcidTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
