What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Potassium Stearate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Behenyl Behenate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEuphorbia Cerifera Wax
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Geraniol
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Parfum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Potassium Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Behenyl Behenate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Panthenol, Linalool, Limonene, Allantoin, Geraniol, Amyl Cinnamal
Colloidal Oatmeal 1%
Absorbent
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Petrolatum
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingColloidal Oatmeal 1%, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Beeswax, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Petrolatum, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Potassium Sorbate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Water, Xanthan Gum
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 AllantoinAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceThis 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 ButterCitric 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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl 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 StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Jojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilWater. 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
