What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningIsostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Octyldodecyl Myristate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Juice
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water, Isostearyl Isostearate, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Squalane, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Cellulose Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Vitis Vinifera Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Diglycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Lens Esculenta Seed Extract
Skin ProtectingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingWater, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Triethylhexanoin, Niacinamide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, CI 42090, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Diglycerin, Parfum, Glyceryl Laurate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Lens Esculenta Seed Extract, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Polyglycerin-3, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Trideceth-6
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 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
