What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearates
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantTetradecane
PerfumingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningAlbizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingDarutoside
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearates, Cetearyl Olivate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sorbitan Olivate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Tetradecane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Darutoside, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientC10-18 Triglycerides
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientSilica
AbrasivePalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningSoluble Collagen
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingIsohexadecane
EmollientSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Diisostearyl Malate, Cetearyl Alcohol, C10-18 Triglycerides, Jojoba Esters, Silica, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Isohexadecane, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, CI 77492, CI 19140, CI 16035
Reviews
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 GlycerinPotassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateWater. 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