What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Morus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Arbutin, Zinc Oxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Beeswax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Allantoin, Betaine, Parfum, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, CI 77492
Water
Skin ConditioningButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeteareth-20
CleansingOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carbomer, Ceteareth-20, Octocrylene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Chlorphenesin, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Glycereth-26, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Pvp, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/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 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is an organic compound that provides UVB protection. It often goes by the more common name of octinoxate. It is created from methoxycinnamic acid and 2-ethylhexanol.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate absorbs UVB rays with wavelengths between 280-320 nm. UV absorbers protect your skin by using chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy.
UVB (290-320 nm) rays emit more energy than UVA rays. They are capable of damaging DNA, causing sunburns and are thought to be linked to skin cancer.
The state of Hawaii has banned sunscreens containing octinoxate due to its potential impact on coral reefs. More research is needed to bridge gaps in this research. The European Union allows higher levels of octinoxate in sunscreens than the US and Australia.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is oil soluble. It is not stable and may lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamateGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWater. 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
