What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
EmulsifyingSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPPG-15 Stearyl Ether
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeFructose
HumectantGlucose
HumectantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantUrea
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingMethylparaben
PreservativeSerine
MaskingSodium Lactate
BufferingSorbitol
HumectantPropylparaben
PreservativeParfum
MaskingDextrin
AbsorbentSucrose
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingAlanine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantHexyl Nicotinate
EmollientHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingWater, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Pentylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Saccharide Isomerate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Phenoxyethanol, Fructose, Glucose, Maltodextrin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Urea, Sodium Citrate, Lactic Acid, Methylparaben, Serine, Sodium Lactate, Sorbitol, Propylparaben, Parfum, Dextrin, Sucrose, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Geraniol, Limonene, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Hexyl Nicotinate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Allantoin, Citric Acid, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientSodium PCA
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Squalane, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Isohexadecane, Cetearyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinThis 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 TriglycerideCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric 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 GlycerinLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil is the oil extracted from the seeds of the meadowfoam plant. This oil is non-fragrant and is an emollient. As an emollient, meadowfoam seed oil helps soften and hydrate the skin.
Meadowfoam seed oil is stable and has a long shelf life due to its chemical structure. It has the highest concentration of stable fatty-acids among plant oils, preventing it from degrading once exposed to oxygen.
Due to the fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Meadowfoam is native to California and Oregon.
Learn more about Limnanthes Alba Seed OilPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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