What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
PEG-6
HumectantSodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters
Surfactant
Disteareth-100 Ipdi
Cellulose
Absorbent
Silica
Abrasive
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Aniba Rosodora Wood Oil
Astringent
Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil
Masking
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Abrasive
Bixa Orellana Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Beheneth-5
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
PEG-6, Sodium Bicarbonate, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, Disteareth-100 Ipdi, Cellulose, Silica, Synthetic Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Retinol, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycine Soja Oil, Aniba Rosodora Wood Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil, Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, BHT, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Saccharide Isomerate, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Beheneth-5, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Linalool, Eugenol, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol
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 TriglycerideSynthetic Wax is a manufactured hydrocarbon wax. In formulas, it works as an occlusive emollient that helps reduce water loss and improves the spreadability of products.
Research comparing synthetic wax to traditional mineral-derived products found that formulas containing it perform as well for skin hydration.
It is considered non-comedogenic and vegan-friendly.
This ingredient has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.
Synthetic Waxes are straight/branched-chain hydrocarbons with no ester bond or fatty acids. That means there is nothing for the Malassezia yeast to feed on.
Learn more about Synthetic WaxWater. 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
