What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coffea Arabica Seed Oil
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Phytonadione
Menadione
MaskingHydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
2-Dimethylamino Ethanol
Copper PCA
HumectantRetinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Cholecalciferol
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium PCA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Sorbic Acid, Soluble Collagen, Panthenol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Punica Granatum Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Stearate, Phytonadione, Menadione, Hydrolyzed Silk, 2-Dimethylamino Ethanol, Copper PCA, Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate, Ubiquinone, Thioctic Acid, Cholecalciferol, Polysorbate 20, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Phospholipids
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-100 Stearate
Propanediol
Solvent
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
Emollient
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Chloride
MaskingMannose
HumectantCoco-Betaine
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, PEG-100 Stearate, Propanediol, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Sorbitan Tristearate, Dimethiconol, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Sodium Chloride, Mannose, Coco-Betaine, Disodium EDTA, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
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 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 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
