What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingMyristoyl Tripeptide-31
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Glycine Soja Oil, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ferulic Acid, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Chloride, Myristoyl Tripeptide-31, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Cannabis Sativa Callus Extract
Antioxidant
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitrus Tangerina Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Flower Oil
Perfuming
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Cannabis Sativa Callus Extract, Resveratrol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Flower Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Limonene, Linalool
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 ButterCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term '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.
Learn more about LimoneneLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) is a water-soluble form of Vitamin C. It is used in skincare because it tends to be more formulation friendly than pure vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
According to research, MAP has three major benefits:
While MAP is gentler on the skin than ascorbic acid, it is thought to be less easily absorbed into the skin.
In a well-known absorption study, pure vitamin C increased skin vitamin C levels when formulated correctly, but derivatives like MAP did not in that experiment. This suggests MAP may not always convert into active vitamin C in the skin.
Due to MAP's stability up to a pH level of 7, it is more stable to air and sunlight exposure than ascorbic acid. The best pH range for MAP is between 5 and 6.
Learn more about Magnesium Ascorbyl PhosphatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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 Water
