What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
Humectant
Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientFaex
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Diglycerin, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Betaine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Faex, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipropylene Glycol, Parfum, Propanediol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, CI 42090
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer
Abrasive
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Octyldodecanol, Synthetic Wax, Parfum, Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Gluconolactone, Mandelic Acid, Glycerin, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Ethylene/Propylene Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sphingolipids, Water, Ceramide NP, Lactic Acid, Benzyl Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
This 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 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 or alcohol, 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 ParfumWater. 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
