What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Rice Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Dipeptide-3 Aminohexanoate
Skin Conditioning
Diaminopropionoyl Tripeptide-33
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Acetyl Hexapeptide-49
Skin Conditioning
Water, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenoxyethanol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Lactic Acid, Rice Amino Acids, Citric Acid, Proline, Acetyl Dipeptide-3 Aminohexanoate, Diaminopropionoyl Tripeptide-33, Hydrolyzed Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-49
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Meadowfoam Estolide
Skin ConditioningPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Tribehenin
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer
Hydroxyproline Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
PEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Triacetin
AntimicrobialCastor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coconut Alkanes, Glyceryl Stearate, Meadowfoam Estolide, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Triheptanoin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Methylpropanediol, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Phytosterols, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tribehenin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Sodium PCA, Urea, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Hydroxyproline Palmitamide, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Ceramide Ng, Trehalose, Sodium Phytate, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Hexylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Palmitic Acid, Lactic Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Tocopherol, Triacetin, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/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 ingredientâs 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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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
