Summer Fridays Summer Skin Nourishing Body Lotion Versus Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Dream Body Cream

Summer Fridays Summer Skin Nourishing Body Lotion Versus Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Dream Body Cream

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glycerin

Propanediol

Cetearyl Alcohol

Silica

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer

Butyrospermum Parkii Butter

Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter

Squalane

Sodium Hyaluronate

Ceramide AP

Ceramide EOP

Ceramide Eos

Ceramide NP

Ceramide Ns

Saccharide Isomerate

Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Tocopheryl Acetate

Tocopherol

Rosa Canina Seed Oil

Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil

Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil

Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids

Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract

Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract

Coumarin

Cholesterol

Caprooyl Phytosphingosine

Caprooyl Sphingosine

Glyceryl Stearate

Stearyl Alcohol

Cetyl Alcohol

Behenic Acid

Sodium Citrate

Ceteareth-25

Sorbitan Isostearate

Polysorbate 60

Citric Acid

Sodium Phytate

Acetic Acid

Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Potassium Sorbate

Phenoxyethanol

Parfum

Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Silica, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Saccharide Isomerate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Flower Extract, Coumarin, Cholesterol, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ceteareth-25, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Acetic Acid, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum

C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate

C13-15 Alkane

Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate

Arachidyl Alcohol

Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer

Diheptyl Succinate

Behenyl Alcohol

Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract

Mangifera Indica Seed Butter

Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil

Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Hyaluronic Acid

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Platonia Insignis Seed Butter

Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans

Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract

Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract

Equisetum Arvense Extract

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Arachidyl Glucoside

Pentylene Glycol

Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6

Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables

Caprylyl Glycol

Chlorphenesin

Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate

Myristyl Alcohol

Lauryl Alcohol

Sodium Hydroxide

Benzyl Glycol

Maltodextrin

Raspberry Ketone

Limonene

Hexyl Cinnamal

Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, C13-15 Alkane, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Platonia Insignis Seed Butter, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Arachidyl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Glycol, Maltodextrin, Raspberry Ketone, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Parfum

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Cetyl 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.

Ethylhexylglycerin 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.

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.

This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.

It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.

Parfum 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.

Phenoxyethanol 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.

Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.

It’s often used to:

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.

In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.

Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:

Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.

Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.

You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.

Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.

Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on 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!

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