What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sorbitol, Stearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Betaine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Octyldodecanol, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Triisostearin
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Triisostearin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, BHT, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Piroctone Olamine
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 TriglycerideCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 StearateOenothera Biennis Oil is the fixed oil derived from the seeds of the Evening Primrose.
Evening primrose oil is rich in fatty acids. These fatty acids include linoleic (60-85%), oleic (5-12%), palmitic (4-10%), and stearic (2-4%).
The fatty acid composition makes it a great ingredient for soothing and moisturizing skin. However, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne safe.
Further research is needed on the role of evening primrose in treating eczema.
Evening primrose is native to North America.
Learn more about Oenothera Biennis OilTocopherol 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 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
