What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Coco-Caprylate, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Ectoin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isoamyl Laurate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Bakuchiol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Resveratrol, Lecithin, Caffeine, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 80, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate
Emulsifying
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethyl Ferulate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHumulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Coumarin
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Myristyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Pisum Sativum Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Carnosine, Ethyl Ferulate, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Butylene Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Carbomer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Parfum, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Coumarin
Alternatives
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 ButterCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
