What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
EmulsifyingOctyldodecanol
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningEuphorbia Cerifera Cera
AstringentHydrogenated Coconut Oil
EmollientBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientPhytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingPearl Extract
AntioxidantHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningPhaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingPropylene Glycol
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingMentha Piperita Extract
CleansingRosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialSalvia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingGlycerin
HumectantHoney Extract
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingGeraniol
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Octyldodecanol, Diisostearyl Malate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, Microcrystalline Wax, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Parfum, Water, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Adenosine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hexyl Cinnamal, Pearl Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract, Linalool, Propylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Mentha Piperita Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Hydroxycitronellal, Glycerin, Honey Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Ceramide NP, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololThis 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 ButterThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinMicrocrystalline Wax is derived from petroleum through a de-oiling process, then highly refined and purified before use in cosmetics.
In skincare formulations, it is used to improve texture and create a smooth, even consistency. It also helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating.
This ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima Oil