What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Urea
Buffering
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Moschata Seed Oil
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 80, Beta-Glucan, Cetearyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Serine, Urea, Sorbitol, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethanolamine, Benzyl Alcohol, Sorbic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbitan Oleate
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Glycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Isostearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane
Antioxidant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Santalum Austrocaledonicum Wood Oil
Masking
Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane
Antioxidant
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Water, Zinc Oxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Sorbitan Olivate, Squalane, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Isostearate, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Astaxanthin, Beta-Glucan, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Gluconolactone, Tetrasodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Tocotrienols, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Santalum Austrocaledonicum Wood Oil, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tocopherol, Tropolone, Alcohol Denat., Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Beta-Sitosterol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Beta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanCaprylic/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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
