What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientHydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantUbiquinone
AntioxidantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialViola Odorata Leaf Extract
MaskingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingTropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningAstragalus Membranaceus Root Extract
EmollientSpilanthes Acmella Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialLavandula Spica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningLigustrum Lucidum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingSalvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicLitsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
MaskingMentha Piperita Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingLuffa Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningGlycogen
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Sterols
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingC15-19 Alkane
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Phytic Acid
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Squalane, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ubiquinone, Glycine Soja Oil, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Viola Odorata Leaf Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Tropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract, Spilanthes Acmella Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Lavandula Spica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Ligustrum Lucidum Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Mentha Piperita Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Luffa Cylindrica Root Extract, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Glycogen, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycolipids, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycine Soja Sterols, Dicaprylyl Ether, Xanthan Gum, C15-19 Alkane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 20, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Phytic Acid, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Benzoate
PEG-6
HumectantSodium Bicarbonate
AbrasiveJojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters
SurfactantDisteareth-100 Ipdi
Cellulose
AbsorbentSilica
AbrasiveSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientRetinol
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingSalicylic Acid
MaskingTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientAniba Rosodora Wood Oil
AstringentEugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
MaskingEugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil
MaskingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil
MaskingCymbopogon Martini Oil
MaskingCupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil
EmollientHydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract
AbrasiveBixa Orellana Seed Oil
EmollientCitrus Limon Peel Extract
EmollientEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingOlive Oil PEG-7 Esters
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientBHT
AntioxidantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantWater
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Stearate
EmulsifyingBeheneth-5
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingLinalool
PerfumingEugenol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingPEG-6, Sodium Bicarbonate, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, Disteareth-100 Ipdi, Cellulose, Silica, Synthetic Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Retinol, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Glycine Soja Oil, Aniba Rosodora Wood Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus Bud Oil, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil, Hydrolyzed Opuntia Ficus-Indica Flower Extract, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, BHT, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Saccharide Isomerate, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Beheneth-5, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Linalool, Eugenol, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol
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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil comes from the seeds of the safflower plant. It is a skin conditioning agent that helps soften skin and keep it hydrated.
This seed oil has an unusual fatty acid profile: it is one of the highest linoleic acid plant oils out there (~55-77%). It also has low amounts of oleic acid, and this high-linoleic/low-oleic ratio gets people excited.
Linoleic acid helps maintain skin barrier integrity and is a building block for the ceramides in your stratum corneum. Notably, people with acne tend to have lower linoleic acid in their skin lipids as well (and this gets worse as acne gets more severe).
Overall, it's a lightweight, fast-absorbing oil that has a long safety track record. Lab testing has found it to be non-irritating for skin or eyes.
The Malassezia yeast can metabolize the fatty acids in this oil to grow; therefore this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilCitrus Limon Peel Oil is created from the peels of the lemon. It is used to add a lemon-scent to products. Lemon peel oil also has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. However, it may also cause phototoxicity and sensitize skin.
Lemon peel oil contains limonene, a skin sensitizing ingredient. Another component is furanocoumarin, which induces phototoxicity in skin.
Furanocoumarins bind and destabilize your DNA to increase the rate of sunburn.
Most reputable companies will remove furanocoumarins from their formulations.
Learn more about Citrus Limon Peel OilGlycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilTocopherol 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