What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phytelephas Aequatorialis Seed Powder
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Euterpe Oleracea Pulp Powder
Abrasive
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phytelephas Aequatorialis Seed Powder, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Pulp Powder, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningBambusa Arundinacea Stem Powder
Abrasive
CI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Kaolin
Abrasive
Potassium Stearate
CleansingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tourmaline
Bentonite
Absorbent
Sucrose
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Poria Cocos Sclerotium Extract
AstringentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
PEG-100 Stearate
Simethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Powder, CI 77220, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Kaolin, Potassium Stearate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tourmaline, Bentonite, Sucrose, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Poria Cocos Sclerotium Extract, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, PEG-100 Stearate, Simethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891
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 ingredientās final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetyl 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.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skinās lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
