What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Gardenia Taitensis Flower
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Alaria Esculenta Extract
Skin ProtectingCarrageenan
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCalcium Chloride
AstringentBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Stearate
CleansingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSilica
Abrasive
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Steareth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Vitreoscilla Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Alcohol Denat., Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Gardenia Taitensis Flower, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Carrageenan, Tin Oxide, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Squalane, Carbomer, Arachidyl Glucoside, Calcium Chloride, Behenyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Silica, Myristic Acid, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Palmitic Acid, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Adenosine, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Steareth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitreoscilla Ferment, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Salicylic Acid, Mica, CI 77163, CI 77491, CI 77891, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPetrolatum
Emollient
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Petrolatum, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 TriglycerideCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCeteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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
