What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Inositol
Humectant
Eclipta Prostrata Powder
Skin ConditioningAcacia Concinna Fruit Powder
Emblica Officinalis Fruit
Skin ConditioningCrocus Sativus Flower Extract
MaskingLactic Acid
Buffering
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Officinalis Extract
Antimicrobial
Nigella Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Musa Sapientum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Vanillin
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Gamma-Undecalactone
Perfuming
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Undecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Esters, Inositol, Eclipta Prostrata Powder, Acacia Concinna Fruit Powder, Emblica Officinalis Fruit, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Lactic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Salvia Officinalis Extract, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Musa Sapientum Flower Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Vanillin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Gamma-Undecalactone, Cetrimonium Chloride, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Quaternium-91
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Caryocar Brasiliense Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Fructose
Humectant
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningWithania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behenyl Alcohol, Isododecane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Quaternium-91, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, Myristyl Myristate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Palmitic Acid, Tocopherol, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Caryocar Brasiliense Fruit Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Fructose, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice comes from leaves of the aloe plant. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is best known for helping to soothe sunburns. It is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, antiseptic, and can help heal wounds.
Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline. These sugars are able to help bind moisture to skin.
It also contains minerals such as calcium, 12 anthraquinones, fatty acids, amino acids, and Vitamin B12.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf JuiceBehentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateThis 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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholThis ingredient is a preservative, antimicrobial, and emulsifier. It is often used in cosmetics for its ability to cleanse, condition, and reduce static.
Cetrimonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt, meaning it has a water-soluble structure.
Dicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Glyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
While Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil can be volatile due to its fragrant properties, the fragrance components are usually removed in the leaf extract.
Rosemary Leaf Extract contains many antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid. Rosemarinic acid, a compound found in rosemary leaf, has been found to help soothe skin conditions such as eczema and acne.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractWater. 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
