What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPetrolatum
Emollient
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Petrolatum, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Phosphate, Tocopherol, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningMonascus Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Vinyldimethicone
Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Raffinose
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Dextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Shell Powder
Abrasive
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment
Skin ProtectingLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Lecithin
Emollient
Glucose
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triethylhexanoin, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Water, Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Trehalose, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Monascus Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Beeswax, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Vinyldimethicone, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glycosyl Trehalose, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Adenosine, Raffinose, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Shell Powder, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Lactococcus Ferment, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Disodium EDTA, Lecithin, Glucose, Polyquaternium-51, Ceramide NP, Myristic Acid, Sucrose Distearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Saccharomyces Ferment, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool
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 TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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
