What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Vinyldimethicone
Cetearyl Olivate
Vegetable Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Hydrogenated Polydecene, Dicaprylyl Ether, Vinyldimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Vegetable Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Panthenol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dipropylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyacrylate-13
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPolyisobutene
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tetrapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 16185
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone, Betaine, Glycereth-26, Isopropyl Palmitate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyacrylate-13, Allantoin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Centella Asiatica Extract, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Polyisobutene, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract, Nonapeptide-1, Tetrapeptide-1, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, CI 16185
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerCaprylic/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 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 GlycerinXanthan 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
