What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Syringa Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningTrifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningWithania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Apium Graveolens Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFructose
Humectant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Polylysine
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Isododecane, Maltodextrin, Syringa Vulgaris Extract, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Apium Graveolens Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fructose, Sorbitan Isostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Tocopherol, Polylysine, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientVinyldimethicone
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate
HumectantLactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Diisostearyl Malate, Vinyldimethicone, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Barley Seed Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Oleic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Propanediol, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Polyacrylate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolThis 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 TriglycerideCetearyl 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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearateThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer and cleaning agent. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, Sorbitan Isostearate prevents oils and water from separating.
Due to its isostearic acid base, it may not be safe for Malassezia or fungal acne.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateWater. 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
