What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Ceteareth-33
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientOleoyl Dipeptide-15
Skin Conditioning
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSilica
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Oleoyl Tetrapeptide-31
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Triethylhexanoin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Ceteareth-20, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Ceteareth-33, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Retinal, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Oleoyl Dipeptide-15, Mica, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica, BHT, Oleoyl Tetrapeptide-31, Tocopherol, Titanium Dioxide, Caramel, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientArtemia Extract
Skin ConditioningC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetrimonium Bromide
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Isododecane, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Artemia Extract, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, C14-22 Alcohols, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetrimonium Bromide, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum
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 TriglycerideDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAThis ingredient is also known as PMMA. It is a polymer microsphere, composed of tiny, perfectly spherical particles formed from repeating units.
In cosmetics, PMMA is mainly used to give a soft or blurring effect. The transparent particles are able to scatter light and help reduce the appearance of fine-lines and imperfections.
PMMA is also able to enhance the texture of products by add a smooth feel.
Learn more about Polymethyl MethacrylateSodium 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 HydroxideTocopherol 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 TocopherolWe don't have a description for Tocopheryl Glucoside yet.
Water. 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
