What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cannabidiol - Synthetically Produced
Antioxidant
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Cannabis Sativa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Cannabidiol - Synthetically Produced, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Coco-Caprylate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Triisostearin
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Triisostearin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, BHT, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Piroctone Olamine
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) made by combining it with palmitic acid.
It is able to blend easily into creams and oil-based formulas because it dissolves in oils rather than water.
As you may know, regular vitamin C is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and air. Ascorbyl Palmitate is more stable and degrades at a slower rate.
Research on whether it converts efficiently into active vitamin C once it's applied on your skin is still limited.
Some in-vitro studies suggest it may support collagen production, but it is not considered one of the stronger vitamin C derivatives, like:
Due to the palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Comedogenic studies have also shown this ingredient to have a rating of 2.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateThis 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 TriglycerideCetyl 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
