What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingIsostearyl Isostearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningCeteareth-20
CleansingAristotelia Chilensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract
Cosmetic ColorantLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Tuna Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCastor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer
Glycine Soja Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientMaltodextrin
AbsorbentPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitral
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Isostearyl Isostearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Triheptanoin, Ceteareth-20, Aristotelia Chilensis Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Gardenia Jasminoides Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Isohexadecane, Maltodextrin, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sorbitan Oleate, Xanthan Gum, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientBentonite
AbsorbentTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Caffeine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Bentonite, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, CI 17200, CI 19140
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilParfum 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
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