What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycol Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin Conditioning
Mannitol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Rhamnose
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Palmitate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Mannitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xylitol, Citric Acid, Rhamnose, Sodium Citrate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Polyquaternium-51
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Dicaprylyl Ether, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Boron Nitride, Glyceryl Stearate, Silica Silylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Myristyl Alcohol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWater. 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
