What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates Copolymer
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, DMDM Hydantoin, Carbomer, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Acrylates Copolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Aminomethyl Propanol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Parfum
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantTetrasodium EDTA
Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucosamine Hcl
Urea
Buffering
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Denatonium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, PEG-100 Stearate, Parfum, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzophenone-4, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Glucosamine Hcl, Urea, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Denatonium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid, CI 15985, CI 14700
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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateParfum 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 ParfumPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopheryl 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
