What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Polybutene
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
C20-40 Alkyl Stearate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Cera Alba
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cetyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Panthenol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Myristyl Myristate, C20-40 Alkyl Stearate, Glycerin, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Bisabolol, Cera Alba
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 ButterCetyl Palmitate is a wax-ester that pulls triple duty as an emollient, thickener, and emulsion enhancer.
It helps enhance the texture of products by giving a smooth, silky feel while helping to stabilize the formula. The emollient action softens skin and reduces moisture loss.
This ingredient is considered safe and human testing of concentrations between 2.5-2.7% were found minimal irritation. Just know, there have been very rare cases of the palmitate family causing contact dermatitis.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it contains a C16 ester (palmitic acid) that falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about Cetyl PalmitateGlycerin (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 GlycerinMyristyl Myristate is a waxy ester made by combining myristyl alcohol and myristic acid (both from plant oils from coconut or palm).
It's a non-greasy emollient that melts right around skin temperature. It gives products a soft and velvet feel and helps improve how a cream spreads.
Safety-wise, it's deemed safe to use in cosmetics by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel. Dermal animal testing found it to be non-toxic and non-irritating.
This ingredient has a comedogenic reputation; it's important to know comedogenic ratings come from outdated rabbit ear tests. Rabbit ears are way more sensitive than human skin and prone to clogging. How likely a formula will clog pores depends on the overall formulation rather than a few comedogenic ingredients.
Because this ingredient is an ester of Myristic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Myristic acid is a C14 fatty acid that sits in the C11-24 range that feeds the Malassezia yeast.
Learn more about Myristyl MyristateOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
This ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate
