What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSilica
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Parfum, Limonene, Coumarin, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citral, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
C15-19 Alkane
SolventSilica Silylate
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMarrubium Vulgare Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Malpighia Emarginata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCapsicum Annuum Fruit Extract
Antimicrobial
Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantLapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol, C15-19 Alkane, Silica Silylate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sorbitan Stearate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Parfum, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Disodium EDTA, Sucrose Cocoate, Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Sodium Benzoate, T-Butyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Malpighia Emarginata Seed Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Capsicum Annuum Fruit Extract, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, CI 14700, Lapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Maris Sal, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium 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 HydroxideTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
