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
Surfactant
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 ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dilaurate
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hexamidine Diisethionate
Emollient
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycine Soja Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Stearic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Persea Gratissima Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Allantoin, Hexamidine Diisethionate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinCaprylic/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 TriglycerideDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl 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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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 AcidTocopherol 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
