What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isododecane
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Hexylresorcinol
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Algin
Masking
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPapain
Skin ConditioningPEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
Emulsifying
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantRetinal
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Hexylresorcinol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Algin, Arachidyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, BHT, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Parfum, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Papain, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, CI 17200, Retinal, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Stearyl Alcohol, CI 77891, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Squalene
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCeteareth-18
EmulsifyingBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Lecithin
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides Citrate
EmollientPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Persea Gratissima Oil, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Mandelic Acid, Lactobionic Acid, Glycerin, Panthenol, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Squalene, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ceteareth-18, Beta-Sitosterol, Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides Citrate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Parfum, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
