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 ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
Squalane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Steapyrium Chloride
AntimicrobialCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycolic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lactic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-100 Stearate, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Steapyrium Chloride, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate
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 TriglycerideCarthamus tinctorius seed oil comes from safflower, one of humanity's oldest crops.
Safflower seed oil contains a high percentage of linoleic acid and oleic acid. It also contains Vitamin E. These three components are effective moisturizers.
Vitamin E helps nourish your skin's lipid barrier. It is also a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or unstable molecules that may damage your skin cells.
Due to its high fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis safe.
Thoughout history, safflower has been used for dying fabrics and in food as a saffron substitute.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilCetyl 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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
