What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Colloidal Oatmeal, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Jojoba Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Levulinic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Allantoin, Ceramide Ng, Xanthan Gum, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinThis 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 GlycerinWater. 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
