What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingIris Germanica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHectorite
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Alcohol, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Beeswax, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Tapioca Starch, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lysolecithin, Iris Germanica Root Extract, Hectorite, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Eugenol
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Bentonite
Absorbent
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C10-18 Triglycerides, Sucrose Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Persea Gratissima Oil, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Bentonite, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
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 GlycerinWater. 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
