What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Actinidia Arguta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Behenyl Alcohol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Cellulose Gum, Madecassoside, Beta-Glucan, Actinidia Arguta Fruit Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Hexyldecanol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Skin Protecting
Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract
HumectantTasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Triolein
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Hydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Palmitic Acid, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Propanediol, Hexyldecanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, Caprylyl Glycol, Triolein, Maltodextrin, Bisabolol, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Myristic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Hydroxystearic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Acacia Senegal Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
This ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.
Studies show the compounds in centella help with:
The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.
Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
Learn more about Centella Asiatica ExtractGlycerin (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 Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.
Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SePolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate is a plant-derived emulsifier whose only job is to keep the oily and watery parts of a formula blended so it doesn't separate into layers.
It's compatible with a wide-range of active ingredients and especially good at making emulsions survive heat/freeze cycles.
Typical use concentrations range from 2-3% and it works across a pH of 4.5-8.5.
This ingredient has been found safe to use in cosmetics and has a low irritation profile.
Because it's build on stearic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that falls within the range (C11-24) that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose DistearateTocopherol 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
