What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCucumis Melo Seed Oil
HumectantColloidal Oatmeal
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Phytate
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
EmollientRibes Nigrum Seed Oil
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantifolia Oil
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingCI 75810
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Sodium Levulinate, Tocopherol, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Sodium Anisate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cucumis Melo Seed Oil, Colloidal Oatmeal, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Maltodextrin, Lactobacillus, Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Citric Acid, CI 75810, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientDiethylhexyl Carbonate
EmollientAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingDimethicone
EmollientCetyl Dimethicone
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Canola Oil
EmollientXylitylglucoside
HumectantSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAnhydroxylitol
HumectantPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSucrose Stearate
EmollientHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientXylitol
HumectantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentGlucose
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Citric Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Dimethicone, Cetyl Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Olivate, Canola Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Panthenol, Anhydroxylitol, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Sucrose Stearate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Glyceryl Stearate, Xylitol, Maltodextrin, Glucose, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Lactobacillus, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide is a prebiotic. It prevents harmful bacteria from growing on skin by keeping the skin's microbiome in balance.
Another benefit of this ingredient is its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants protect our skin from oxidative damage.
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 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 TriglycerideCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent oils and waters from separating. It can also
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Sorbitan Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may feed that yeast, so it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinLactobacillus is a type of bacteria with skin conditioning properties. This ingredient has antibacterial and antifungal properties (that's why we can eat fermented foods).
Learn more about the benefits of lactobacillus ferment here.
Fun Fact: Lactobacillus is used to create wine, yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, pickles, beer, cider, kimchi, cocoa, kefir.
Learn more about LactobacillusMaltodextrin is a polysaccharide. It is derived from starch such as rice, corn, wheat, or potato starch.
In food, Maltodextrin is used to improve the texture and thicken a product. Due to its structure, it can help create a gel texture. As an emulsion stabilizer, it helps keep the ingredients in a product together.
As a polysaccharide, Maltodextrin has moisturizing properties. Polysaccharides are a type of carbohydrate. The top layer of skin uses polysaccharides to retain water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Maltodextrin is water soluble and has a sweet taste.
Learn more about MaltodextrinPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice comes from the roots of the Yacon plant native to South America. It is a skin conditioning ingredient that helps keep skin feeling soft and hydrated.
Yacon roots are naturally loaded with fructooligosaccharides (FOS), a type of prebiotic sugar. Prebiotics like FOS help feed the "good" bacteria on your skin to support a healthy and balanced environment.
This root juice also contains antioxidant compounds (like chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid).
Just so you know, Yacon belongs to the daisy family so be sure to patch test if you have a known allergy to plants in that family.
Learn more about Polymnia Sonchifolia Root JuiceSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may feed that yeast, so it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan Olivate