What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprae Lac
Skin ConditioningColostrum
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactose
HumectantMilk Protein
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Capillaris Extract
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingEryngium Alpinum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Honey Extract
Humectant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Hydrocinnamyl Cinnamate
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Whey Protein
Skin ConditioningC10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprae Lac, Colostrum, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactose, Milk Protein, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Eryngium Alpinum Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Honey Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Hydrocinnamyl Cinnamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Tocopherol, Whey Protein, C10-18 Triglycerides, Lecithin
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Sorbitol
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Betaine
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Sorbitol, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Lactobacillus Ferment, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Allantoin, Panthenol, Lactic Acid, Betaine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
