What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water
MaskingRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Heptyl Undecylenate
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cistus Incanus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Persica Bud Extract
HumectantPrunus Cerasus Bud Extract
HumectantGynostemma Pentaphyllum Leaf/Stem Extract
Antioxidant
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Rubus Idaeus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Gluten Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
Emollient
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Glutamine
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Arginine
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbitan Olivate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Heptyl Undecylenate, Water, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Cistus Incanus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Ceramide NP, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phytosphingosine, Prunus Persica Bud Extract, Prunus Cerasus Bud Extract, Gynostemma Pentaphyllum Leaf/Stem Extract, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Saccharide Isomerate, Rubus Idaeus Seed Extract, Triticum Vulgare Gluten Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Ubiquinone, Glutamine, Sodium Phytate, Arginine, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Decyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Sodium Citrate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Alcohol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Butoxyethanol
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Butter
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera
MaskingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Oryza Sativa
Helianthus Annuus Seedcake
Abrasive
Melia Azadirachta Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Rhizome Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Sprout
HumectantSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlucose
Humectant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Corallina Officinalis
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXylitol
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Centella Asiatica Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol, Butoxyethanol, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Butter, 1,2-Hexanediol, Vitis Vinifera, Cetearyl Glucoside, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Oryza Sativa, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Melia Azadirachta Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Rhizome Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Sprout, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Glucose, Asiaticoside, Cyanocobalamin, Hydrolyzed Corallina Officinalis, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xylitol, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol
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 ButterCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol (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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
