What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientMyreth-3 Myristate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzoic Acid
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine
BufferingGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientPEG-32
HumectantPEG-400
Emulsion StabilisingPentyl Rhamnoside
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Myreth-3 Myristate, PEG-100 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Benzoic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Glycine, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Oenothera Biennis Oil, PEG-32, PEG-400, Pentyl Rhamnoside, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingXylitol
HumectantCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingMannitol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantRhamnose
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAnhydroxylitol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingGlucose
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Citrate, Xylitol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Mannitol, Tocopherol, Rhamnose, Xylitylglucoside, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Anhydroxylitol, Niacinamide, Glucose, Fructooligosaccharides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerThis 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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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