What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Isohexadecane
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C14-22 Alcohols, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, PEG-100 Stearate, Isohexadecane, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethiconol, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 80, Potassium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Oleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucose, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-32
Antiseborrhoeic
Oligopeptide-29
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Myristyl Alcohol, Squalane, Caffeine, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phytosterols, Lauryl Alcohol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Xylitol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Glucose, Ceramide NP, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Oligopeptide-32, Oligopeptide-29, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
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
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerCaprylic/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 TriglycerideGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 StearateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
