What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Cell Extract
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
Emollient
Acer Rubrum Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPicea Mariana Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Betula Alleghaniensis Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPinus Banksiana Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingIsomalt
HumectantTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Pentylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Tocopherol, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Cell Extract, Bisabolol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Acer Rubrum Bark Extract, Picea Mariana Bark Extract, Betula Alleghaniensis Bark Extract, Pinus Banksiana Bark Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Isomalt, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Lecithin, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSucrose Stearate
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Coconut Alcohol
Emollient
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Salvia Sclarea Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Argania Spinosa Kernel Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sucrose Stearate, Benzyl Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Coconut Alcohol, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Tocopherol, Salicylic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Salvia Sclarea Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Leaf/Twig Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Citral
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 ButterCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
