What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Juglans Regia Shell Powder
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Powder
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingTriethanolamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGeraniol
Perfuming
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycine Soja Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Stearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Powder, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Triethanolamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Geraniol
Sucrose
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Kaolin
Abrasive
Cocamide Mipa
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Octadecyl Di-T-Butyl-4-Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sucrose, Propylene Glycol, Water, Hydrated Silica, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Parfum, Kaolin, Cocamide Mipa, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Octadecyl Di-T-Butyl-4-Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sorbic Acid, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Hydroxycitronellal, Coumarin, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, 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 ButterCocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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.
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a surfactant that helps water and oil mix so that dirt, sweat, sebum, and sunscreen can rinse away easily. It's not technically a sulfate, but behaves similarly in formulas.
What it does:
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate is a strong cleansing surfactant and is much stronger than many mild cleansers. Because it works deeply, it can disrupt the skin's barrier. This can lead to dryness or irritation for those with sensitive skin.
Compared to gentler surfactants, it's effective but more likely to dry or irritate if not balanced with soothing ingredients.
CIR considers sodium α-olefin sulfonates (including C14-16) to be safe for use in rinse-off products when properly formulated. It is poorly absorbed through normal skin but absorption increases if the skin barrier is already damaged.
Learn more about Sodium C14-16 Olefin SulfonateTocopheryl 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
