What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingParfum
Masking
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Glycine Soja Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isopropyl Myristate, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Parfum, PEG-40 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Carbomer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Sodium Hydroxide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Disodium EDTA, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate
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 synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
