What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Undecane
EmollientOryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentPentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTridecane
Perfuming
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panthenol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Propanediol, Behenyl Alcohol, Cocoglycerides, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Undecane, Oryza Sativa Starch, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Zinc PCA, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tridecane, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Chlorphenesin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Cetearyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Polyglycerin-3
Water
Skin ConditioningC10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, C10-18 Triglycerides, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Isocetyl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Isopropyl Myristate, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Squalane, Parfum, Acacia Senegal Gum, Maltodextrin, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 60, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Lecithin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citric Acid
Reviews
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 ButterGlycerin (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 StearateThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
This ingredient is more commonly known as IPMP or Isopropyl Methylphenol. It is a preservative and has antimicrobial properties.
According to the EPA, this ingredient is allowed for use in cleansers, creams, powders, bath products, toothpaste, perfume, and more.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateWater. 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
