What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Collagen
Moisturising
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Protothecoides Oil
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Parachlorella Beijerinckii Exopolysaccharides
Skin ProtectingCollagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopherol
Antioxidant
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Phytate
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Vanillin
Masking
Amyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Benzyl Acetate
Masking
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Masking
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingIonone
Astringent
Linalool
Perfuming
Collagen, Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Chlorella Protothecoides Oil, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Parachlorella Beijerinckii Exopolysaccharides, Collagen Amino Acids, Ceramide NP, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Carnosine, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Triethyl Citrate, Vanillin, Amyl Salicylate, Benzyl Acetate, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ionone, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Diglycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Nelumbo Nucifera Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Leaf Extract
Emollient
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, C10-18 Triglycerides, Diglycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, PEG-100 Stearate, Myristyl Myristate, Nelumbo Nucifera Extract, Prunus Persica Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Behenyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Cocoglycerides, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Metabisulfite, BHT, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral
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 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 TriglycerideCetearyl 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 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideT-Butyl Alcohol it is most commonly used as a solvent.
At room temperature, T-Butyl Alcohol melts and has a similar smell to camphor.
This ingredient is derived from isobutane. It is the simplest form of a tertiary alcohol. Due to its chemical structure, it is more resistant to oxidation.
Some sources online claim T-Butyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. However, it is not considered one due to its chemical structure.
Learn more about T-Butyl AlcoholTocopherol 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.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
