What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Propylene Glycol, Zea Mays Starch, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Tribehenin
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coconut Oil
Emollient
Ceteareth-33
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Tribehenin, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Ceteareth-33, Hydroxyacetophenone, Parfum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactic Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Beta-Carotene, Citric Acid
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 ButterCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
