What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialUrea
BufferingGlycolic Acid
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingNiacinamide
SmoothingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyacrylamide
Salicylic Acid
MaskingSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Bakuchiol
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningLaureth-7
EmulsifyingRetinal
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Tromethamine, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Urea, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Niacinamide, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Salicylic Acid, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Disodium EDTA, Bakuchiol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Laureth-7, Retinal, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingTridecyl Stearate
EmollientNeopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningCellulose Acetate Butyrate
Linoleic Acid
CleansingPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tricaprylin
PerfumingSodium PCA
HumectantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantSilica Silylate
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveMagnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Isopropyl Palmitate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sorbitan Olivate, Tridecyl Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Allantoin, Retinol, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Phytosterols, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tricaprylin, Sodium PCA, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Silica Silylate, Silica, Magnesium Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
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 TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum