What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantC10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMannitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Rhamnose
HumectantAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, C10-18 Triglycerides, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Sucrose Stearate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Mannitol, Xylitol, Rhamnose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate Filtrate
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Boswellia Serrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningRhodiola Rosea Root Extract
EmollientInonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningGanoderma Lucidum Extract
Skin Protecting
Withania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Squalane, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Propanediol, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
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 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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinThough this ingredient might sound like a juicy fruit extract, it's actually the fat pressed from the mango seed kernel (or the pit). In skincare, it behaves more like shea butter and cocoa butter than like a plant active.
The fatty acid makeup of mango seed butter makes it special; it's typically rich in stearic acid and oleic acid, with small amounts of palmitic and linoleic acid. This combo helps it melt on skin, feel creamy, and leave behind a protective "seal" that slows down water loss.
It also contains a small amount of "extras" like tocopherols (vitamin E) and phytosterols, which are often used to support skin soothing.
Due to its fatty acid content (like oleic acid), this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. In vitro studies have shown that Oleic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
Learn more about Mangifera Indica Seed ButterPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
