What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSorbitol
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingDimethiconol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientHydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitol, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Allantoin, Arginine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopheryl Acetate
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
EmollientOpuntia Tuna Flower/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTocopherol
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingCandelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTapioca Starch
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzaldehyde
MaskingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingRose Ketone-4
PerfumingTetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
MaskingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Dimethicone, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Opuntia Tuna Flower/Stem Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Tocopherol, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Parfum, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tapioca Starch, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Benzaldehyde, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Rose Ketone-4, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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