What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventAcrylates Copolymer
Cocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventDodecane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
MaskingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Phytate
Bisabolol
AntioxidantSodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propanediol, Dodecane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Parfum, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Glycerin, Sodium Phytate, Bisabolol, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Benzoate, 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.
This ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
The comedogenic rating of 4/5 means it has a high potential to clog pores; but it's worth noting that comedogenicity is highly individual and ratings cannot predict how an overall formula will behave on skin.
Since lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between 11-24, and lauric acid falls within these lengths (C12).
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera OilAcai oil is extracted from the pulp of the acai palm fruit. It is rich in phenolic compounds and fatty acids like oleic and palmitic acid.
Due to the presence of fatty acids, this ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
This plant is native to the Amazon rainforest.
Learn more about Euterpe Oleracea Fruit OilParfum 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolThis ingredient is also known as cupuacu butter. It's a soft, creamy plant fat that works as a skin-conditioning agent and often marketed as the plant-based alternative to lanolin.
The composition of this butter is dominated by oleic acid, stearic acid, and smaller amounts of palmitic, linoleic, and arachidic acids. There's also a useful dose of phystosterols.
That fatty-acid-and-sterol combo is why this ingredient behaves like a richer cousin of shea butter: the lipids reinforce the skin's surface and slow water loss while the sterols help support the barrier.
There's some early research too: a mouse study found cupuacu butter emulgels had antioxidant activity and a measurable photoprotective effect against UVB damage.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient but those prone to congestion might prefer formulations with lower concentrations.
Fungal acne: Cupuacu butter's fatty acids are mostly "locked up" in triglycerides that Malassezia can't easily feed on, but the yeast can slowly break these down to access the free fatty acids. Therefore, ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed ButterWater. 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