What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-13 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Zinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantSilica
AbrasiveXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingC30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientBakuchiol
AntimicrobialSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantXylitol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingFructooligosaccharides
HumectantMannitol
HumectantPropyl Gallate
AntioxidantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningRhamnose
HumectantLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, C12-13 Alkyl Lactate, Citric Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Zinc Gluconate, Salicylic Acid, Arachidyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Silica, Xanthan Gum, Arachidyl Glucoside, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Squalane, Bakuchiol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Xylitol, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Fructooligosaccharides, Mannitol, Propyl Gallate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Rhamnose, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Niacinamide
SmoothingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLinoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingStearic Acid
CleansingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBHT
AntioxidantSodium PCA
HumectantTriethanolamine
BufferingIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitronellol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, BHT, Sodium PCA, Triethanolamine, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, CI 42090, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
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 TriglycerideDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 ParfumWater. 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