What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Isoamyl Laurate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol, Glycerin, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Phenoxyethanol, Saccharide Isomerate, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantDimethiconol
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polysorbate 20, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Dimethiconol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Disodium EDTA, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate is a synthetic powder used as an absorbent, thickener, and anti-caking agent.
As an absorbent, it is great at mattifying skin by soaking up the oil. This is why you'll find it in a range of products from makeup to moisturizers.
This ingredient is considered a modified starch. Starch can also be found naturally in plants.
One study from 1991 found that 5% of this ingredient enhanced titanium dioxide SPF by as much as 40%. The study found 1% titanium dioxide had a 5.6 SPF and adding 5% of aluminum starch octenylsuccinate boosted it to an SPF of 8.1
Although “aluminum” in an ingredient name can raise red flags for some consumers, the form and usage context matter significantly. For typical topical applications, there is no substantial evidence of health risks - such as cancer, neurotoxicity, or systemic “aluminum overload.”
Learn more about Aluminum Starch OctenylsuccinateThis 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 GlycerinPropanediol 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 PropanediolWater. 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
