What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Krameria Triandra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPPG-15 Stearyl Ether
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Steareth-21
CleansingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Azelamide Mea
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Krameria Triandra Root Extract, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Steareth-21, Salicylic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Steareth-2, Dimethicone, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Azelamide Mea, Polysorbate 60, Caprylyl Glycol, Zinc Oxide, Gluconolactone, Disodium EDTA, Calcium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Squalane, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Isohexadecane, Cetearyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
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 AlcoholCetyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconePhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Water. 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
