What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-2 Sesquiisostearate
EmulsifyingPEG-22/Dodecyl Glycol Copolymer
EmulsifyingAluminum Sucrose Octasulfate
Skin ConditioningAluminum Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantCera Alba
EmollientCopper Sulfate
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantMagnesium Sulfate
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingZinc Sulfate
AntimicrobialWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Zinc Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquiisostearate, PEG-22/Dodecyl Glycol Copolymer, Aluminum Sucrose Octasulfate, Aluminum Stearate, Cera Alba, Copper Sulfate, Magnesium Stearate, Magnesium Sulfate, Cera Microcristallina, Zinc Sulfate
Water
Skin ConditioningC13-15 Alkane
SolventGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
EmulsifyingLauroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingMagnesium Sulfate
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingWater, C13-15 Alkane, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Lauroyl Lysine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Magnesium Sulfate, Panthenol, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Phytosterols, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
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.
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 TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinMagnesium Sulfate is a salt. More specifically, it is an epsom salt, or the bath salt used to help relieve muscle aches.
Despite having ‘sulfate’ in the name, it isn’t a surfactant or cleansing agent like sodium lauryl sulfate. Unlike those sulfates, magnesium sulfate doesn’t have the same cleansing or foaming properties (it's simply a type of salt).
In cosmetics, Magnesium Sulfate is used to thicken a product or help dilute other solids. It is a non-reactive and non-irritating ingredient.
One study shows magnesium deficiency may lead to inflammation of the skin. Applying magnesium topically may help reduce inflammation.
You can find this ingredient in sea water or mineral deposits.
Learn more about Magnesium SulfateWater. 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