What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Kaolin
Abrasive
Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Kaolin, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Phytate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Allantoin, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceThis 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 ButterCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractCarthamus tinctorius seed oil comes from safflower, one of humanity's oldest crops.
Safflower seed oil contains a high percentage of linoleic acid and oleic acid. It also contains Vitamin E. These three components are effective moisturizers.
Vitamin E helps nourish your skin's lipid barrier. It is also a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or unstable molecules that may damage your skin cells.
Due to its high fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis safe.
Thoughout history, safflower has been used for dying fabrics and in food as a saffron substitute.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilCetyl 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.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 StearateGlyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.
Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSodium 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 HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
