What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract
AstringentParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Dimethicone, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cera Microcristallina, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetyl Palmitate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Xanthan Gum, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Sodium Phytate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.
Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SePolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate is created from the diester of stearic acid and the condensation product of methylglucose and Polyglycerin-3.
As an emulsifier, it is used to bind ingredients together. Many ingredients, such as oils and water, separate naturally. Emulsifiers prevent them from separating to ensure even consistency in texture.
One of the manufacturer for this ingredient states it is vegetable-based. It is also claimed to be stable at both high and low temperatures.
This ingredient may not be safe for fungal acne. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose DistearateThis ingredient is the oil from the apricot.
Apricot Kernel Oil is an emollient and helps soften skin. This is due to its fatty acid components. Some of these fatty acids include linoleic and oleic acid.
This ingredient also has antioxidant properties from Vitamins A, C, and E. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. Besides being antioxidants, these vitamins provide plenty of skin benefits as well.
Learn more about Prunus Armeniaca Kernel OilWater. 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
