What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTriethyl Citrate
MaskingOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingParfum
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCoumarin
PerfumingCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Glycerin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Triethyl Citrate, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Caramel
Reviews
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 ButterTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about Tocopherol