What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingGlycol Stearate
EmollientParfum
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauroyl Hydrolyzed Silk
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingStearamide Amp
Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil
EmollientBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Cocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantHibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTriethyl Citrate
MaskingBenzoic Acid
MaskingWater, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Glycol Stearate, Parfum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panthenol, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Hydrolyzed Silk, Citric Acid, Stearamide Amp, Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Tocopherol, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethyl Citrate, Benzoic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSorbitol
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
PPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingHydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate
Propylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-10
Potassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientSalicylic Acid
MaskingGlycol Distearate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingGlycine
BufferingCoco-Betaine
CleansingLinalool
PerfumingTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sorbitol, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Panthenol, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, PEG-55 Propylene Glycol Oleate, Propylene Glycol, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-150 Distearate, Polyquaternium-10, Potassium Cocoate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Salicylic Acid, Glycol Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Limonene, Glycine, Coco-Betaine, Linalool, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
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 an effective skin hydrator and emollient.
Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. It does this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
Shea butter may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDecyl Glucoside is a glucose-based surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Surfactants help clean the skin by trapping oil, sebum, and dirt to be washed away. As an emulsion stabilizer, it stabilizes the ingredients in a product by preventing them from separating.
This ingredient is biodegradable and non-toxic. This ingredient is commonly found in baby shampoos.
Decyl Glucoside is sometimes used to stabilize the UV filter Tinosorb.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosidePanthenol 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 PanthenolParfum 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 ParfumSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateTocopherol (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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water