What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningHoney
HumectantPropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingWater, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Honey, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Olus Oil
EmollientAlmondeth-20
EmulsifyingTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Urtica Dioica Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Olus Oil, Almondeth-20, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholThis 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 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.
Water. 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