What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC15-19 Alkane
SolventStearic Acid
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrichilia Emetica Seed Butter
Emollient
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Caprae Lac
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLactose
HumectantBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Carbonate
BufferingCholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, C15-19 Alkane, Stearic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetyl Alcohol, Squalane, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Sorbitan Olivate, Niacinamide, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Carbomer, Trichilia Emetica Seed Butter, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Caprae Lac, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Lactose, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Milk Protein, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Polyglutamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide NP, 2,3-Butanediol, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Carbonate, Cholesterol, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ns, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diglycerin
Humectant
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Ceteareth-20
CleansingDimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Squalane
Emollient
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Guaiazulene
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Diglycerin, C10-18 Triglycerides, Petrolatum, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Squalane, Ectoin, Phospholipids, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Polysorbate 60, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sorbitan Isostearate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polysorbate 20, Guaiazulene, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
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 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, 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 GlycerinSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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
