What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientGlycol Palmitate
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Triceteareth-4 Phosphate
EmulsifyingFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Mannitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
PEG-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rhamnose
HumectantStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAlumina
Abrasive
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Isohexadecane, Glycol Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triceteareth-4 Phosphate, Fructooligosaccharides, Mannitol, Xylitol, Glycol Stearate, PEG-2 Stearate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Rhamnose, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Alumina
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Vinyldimethicone
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Vinyldimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Octyldodecanol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Allantoin, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, T-Butyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Tocopherol, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate
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 TriglycerideDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene 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 GlycolStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
