What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sucrose
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveParfum
MaskingOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
MaskingMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSorbic Acid
PreservativeBlue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantSucrose, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Silica, Parfum, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Blue 1 Lake, CI 14700
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydrated Silica
AbrasiveSodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingSodium Stearate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingParfum
MaskingSodium Palmitate
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientLauric Acid
CleansingSodium Isethionate
CleansingJojoba Esters
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Palm Kernelate
CleansingTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantPunica Granatum Seed Powder
AbrasiveButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Hydrated Silica, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Stearic Acid, Sodium Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Parfum, Sodium Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lauric Acid, Sodium Isethionate, Jojoba Esters, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Zinc Oxide, Punica Granatum Seed Powder, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, CI 77491, CI 77891, CI 17200
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 ButterGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about Phenoxyethanol