Scent Theory Body Cream Versus Native Body Lotion
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ceteareth-20
CleansingDimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Dilaurate
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dehydroacetic Acid, Aminomethyl Propanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Benzyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coconut Alkanes, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Zea Mays Starch, Behenyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Panthenol, Sodium Benzoate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholThis 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 TriglycerideParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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
