What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Medica Peel Oil
Origanum Majorana Leaf Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Water, Urea, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocoglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sorbitan Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane, Stearic Acid, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Caprylyl Methicone, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arginine, Disodium EDTA, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Medica Peel Oil, Origanum Majorana Leaf Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Phytosterols, Parfum
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 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 GlycerinPanthenol 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 PanthenolTocopheryl 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 AcetateUrea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.
Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:
Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.
Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.
As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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
