What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingC10-18 Triglycerides
EmollientSmithsonite Extract
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientTapioca Starch
Secale Cereale Seed Extract
AbrasivePaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHelichrysum Stoechas Extract
TonicHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPlantago Lanceolata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLycium Barbarum Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningDiaminopropionoyl Tripeptide-33
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentTocopherol
AntioxidantLecithin
EmollientIsomalt
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenylpropanol
MaskingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingWater, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C10-18 Triglycerides, Smithsonite Extract, Glycerin, C12-16 Alcohols, Methylpropanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Tapioca Starch, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Helichrysum Stoechas Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Plantago Lanceolata Seed Extract, Lycium Barbarum Callus Culture Extract, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Diaminopropionoyl Tripeptide-33, Maltodextrin, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Isomalt, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenylpropanol, Phenethyl Alcohol
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 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate Citrate is a citric acid ester of glyceryl stearate.
It is an emulsifier, emollient, and a surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating. Common ingredients include oils and water, which do not mix naturally. Emulsifiers have properties that help keep ingredients such as these together.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Surfactants help gather oils, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. This helps them to be easily rinsed away.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate CitrateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidTocopherol 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