What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate
Emulsifying
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Tabebuia Impetiginosa Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glucose
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
CI 77220
Cosmetic ColorantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Glutathione
Collagen Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-2 Triisostearate, Polyethylene, Microcrystalline Wax, Octyldodecanol, Triethylhexanoin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Adenosine, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Tabebuia Impetiginosa Bark Extract, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glucose, Arginine, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Citric Acid, CI 77220, Ascorbic Acid, Acetyl Glucosamine, Glutathione, Collagen Extract
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Trioctyldodecyl Citrate
EmollientSynthetic Wax
Abrasive
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters Behenate
Emollient
Ceresin
Emulsion StabilisingMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientAmber Powder
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Silica, Trioctyldodecyl Citrate, Synthetic Wax, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Polyethylene, Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Macadamia Seed Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters Behenate, Ceresin, Microcrystalline Wax, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Bisabolol, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Silica Silylate, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Amber Powder, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid
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 TriglycerideMicrocrystalline Wax is derived from petroleum through a de-oiling process, then highly refined and purified before use in cosmetics.
In skincare formulations, it is used to improve texture and create a smooth, even consistency. It also helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating.
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil is a lightweight oil from the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree. In cosmetics, it's an emollient that forms a light film to slow water loss and soften skin.
Its fatty acid composition is dominated by oleic acid (70-78%), with smaller amounts of behenic, palmitic, and stearic acids (this profile is actually pretty similar to olive oil).
Notably, this ingredient is oxidatively stable for an oil and resists going rancid as fast as other oils.
A small, in vivo study on 32 participants found a cream with this ingredient increased skin hydration with no reported skin irritation. It also found the tocopherol content gave it some antioxidant activity as well.
One thing to flag for fungal acne:
Because this oil is so high in oleic acid, Malassezia can use it as a food source and this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
For everyone else, this ingredient is well-tolerated and nourishing with a good safety track record.
Learn more about Moringa Oleifera Seed OilPolyethylene is a synthetic ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. It is a polymer.
It is also typically used within product formulations to help bind solid ingredients together and thicken oil-based ingredients. When added to balms and emulsions, it helps increase the melting point temperature.
Jojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
