What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phaseolus Angularis Seed Powder
Hectorite
AbsorbentCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Ultramarines
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialPolyisobutene
Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Water, Glycerin, Kaolin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Powder, Hectorite, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Ultramarines, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Polyisobutene, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Leaf Extract, CI 77491, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sorbitan Oleate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Kaolin
Abrasive
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Bentonite
Absorbent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Chelating
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Maris Aqua
HumectantSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLactobacillus/Watermelon Fruit Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
ChelatingSilica
Abrasive
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Vaccinium Corymbosum Seed
Abrasive
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carrageenan
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Kaolin, Stearyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Bentonite, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Gluconolactone, Hydrated Silica, Maris Aqua, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Lactobacillus/Watermelon Fruit Ferment Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Glucose, Sodium Phytate, Silica, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Hexylene Glycol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Vaccinium Corymbosum Seed, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carrageenan, CI 77891, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
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
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 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 SE is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of Glyceryl Stearate. It comes with a small amount of soap (usually potassium or sodium stearate) that gives it the "SE" part.
That soap lets it pull oil and water together on its own which is why it shows up as an emulsifier, thickener, and emollient.
Industry survey data shows this ingredient is used around 1-5% but Glyceryl Stearate goes as high at 17% in a leave-on deodorant.
Safety-wise, it's pretty boring: it's been deemed safe for topical use in 1982 and again most recently in 2021 by the CIR. Human repeat insult patch tests come back non-irritating, non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
This ingredient does carry a comedogenic rating of 3 from the old rabbit-ear assay. Just remember testing finished products in humans showed that formulas built with "comedogenic" ingredients are not necessarily comedogenic themselves. It's worth patch testing if you're breakout prone, and always listen to your skin.
The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize the stearic acid in this ingredient, so it may not be fungal acne safe.
Allergy is rare: a 310-patient patch test study of common emulsifiers found this ingredient was not a meaningful reactor. Isolated case reports do exist so a true contact allergy is possible but uncommon.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SeKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinWater. 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
