What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sucrose Polystearate
EmollientJojoba Esters
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Betula Alba Bark Extract
Masking
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningRhizobian Gum
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprate
EmollientAcacia Decurrens Flower Wax
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPolyglycerin-3
Humectant
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Propylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Sucrose Polystearate, Jojoba Esters, Niacinamide, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Yeast Extract, Rhizobian Gum, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Caprate, Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Tocopherol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polyglycerin-3, Phenethyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenyl Triacetate
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acetyl Tyrosine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Glycosaminoglycans
EmollientBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHaberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingUrea
Buffering
Glucose
Humectant
Guanidine Hcl
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingDimethicone
Emollient
Faex Extract
Skin ConditioningDipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin Conditioning
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Tripeptide-10 Citrulline
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 40
Emulsifying
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Pantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningEthylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycerin, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Panthenyl Triacetate, Ethyl Linoleate, Butylene Glycol, Acetyl Tyrosine, Proline, Lecithin, Glycosaminoglycans, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Urea, Glucose, Guanidine Hcl, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, Faex Extract, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Cyclomethicone, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tripeptide-10 Citrulline, Tripeptide-1, Polysorbate 40, Superoxide Dismutase, Pvp, Panthenol, Phospholipids, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Pantothenic Acid, Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA
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 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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
