What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningSucrose Laurate
Emollient
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil
Emollient
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientCucurbita Pepo Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Spirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCopper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Isopropyl Isostearate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Water, Sucrose Laurate, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil, Sucrose Stearate, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Copper Gluconate
Squalane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientEthyl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sucrose Laurate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSucrose Dilaurate
Emollient
Sucrose Trilaurate
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingIsoceteth-20
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Malic Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Squalane, Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Sucrose Stearate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sucrose Laurate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sucrose Dilaurate, Sucrose Trilaurate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Isoceteth-20, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tocopherol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Malic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin
Reviews
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 TriglycerideCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateGlycerin (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 GlycerinSucrose Laurate isn't fungal acne safe.
Sucrose Stearate is derived from stearic acid and sucrose (sugar). It is an emollient and emulsifier.
As an emulsifier, it prevents oils and water from separating in a product. This property also makes it a surfactant and therefore a cleansing agent.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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 Water
