What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Sucrose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Pistacia Vera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 73360
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantSucrose, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Silica, Pistacia Vera Seed Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Microcrystalline Wax, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Mica, CI 77891, CI 73360, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Actinidia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Glycerin
Humectant
Citrulline
Skin ConditioningLauryl Lactate
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Polysorbate 20, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Actinidia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Phytate, Glycerin, Citrulline, Lauryl Lactate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 14700, 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 ParfumThis ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20
