What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantHoney
HumectantCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantPolyquaternium-37
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrideceth-3
EmulsifyingTrideceth-15
EmulsifyingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialAmodimethicone
Parfum
MaskingPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeC11-13 Isoparaffin
SolventLinalool
PerfumingAmyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Biotin, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Honey, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Polyquaternium-37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trideceth-3, Trideceth-15, Cetrimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Parfum, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Glycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, C11-13 Isoparaffin, Linalool, Amyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPEG-8 Beeswax
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Jojoba Esters
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientAcacia Decurrens Flower Wax
EmollientPolyquaternium-10
Polyquaternium-37
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantPolyglycerin-3
HumectantPPG-1 Trideceth-6
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Acetate
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Persea Gratissima Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Beeswax, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Jojoba Esters, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Glycine Soja Oil, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Polyquaternium-10, Polyquaternium-37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Tocopherol, Polyglycerin-3, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Acetate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateThis 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 ButterCetearyl 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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 ParfumPersea Gratissima Oil is also known as avocado oil.
Avocado Oil has antioxidant properties. It is mostly made up of the glycerides of fatty acids. About 67% of these fatty acids is made up of oleic acid. Palmitic acid and linoleic acid are also present.
These fatty acids help hydrate and soften the skin. It may increase collagen content in the skin. Collagen helps keep your skin plump and firm. This ingredient helps reduce inflammation and has not shown to clog pores.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe due to its high fatty acid content.
Avocados also have B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, and potassium.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
We don't have a description for Polyquaternium-37 yet.
We don't have a description for PPG-1 Trideceth-6 yet.
This ingredient is an emollient designed to leave a non-greasy feel. It is also a skin conditioning agent and viscosity modifier.
Skin irritation studies for this ingredient (up to 80%) showed mimimal to no irritation.
One thing worth knowing: this ingredient may enhance the skin penetration of other ingredients.
Overall, this ingredient is a well-tolerated and lightweight emollient.
Learn more about Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/DicaprateTocopherol (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