What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Heptyl Undecylenate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Succinate
BufferingOenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Hoya Lacunosa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Arginine
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Heptyl Undecylenate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Persea Gratissima Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glucose, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Succinate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Hoya Lacunosa Flower Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Arginine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Bakuchiol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lactic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCaprylic/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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinTocopherol 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
