What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Soy Polyglycerides
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Soybean Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingC15-23 Alkane
SolventXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Bisabolol, Stearyl Alcohol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Extract, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Tocopherol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Allantoin, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Soy Polyglycerides, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethiconol, Panthenol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, C15-23 Alkane, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract
Astringent
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Carbomer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Potassium Hydroxide, Sorbic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
