What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate Citrate
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
HumectantRibes Nigrum Seed Oil
EmollientSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Juice Extract
AntioxidantCaesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
BufferingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingLinolenic Acid
CleansingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPropanediol
SolventSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantGlutamylamidoethyl Imidazole
Silica
AbrasiveButylene Glycol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingSorbic Acid
PreservativeSodium Citrate
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientBoron Nitride
AbsorbentHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTin Oxide
AbrasiveMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycerin, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Vitis Vinifera Juice Extract, Caesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract, Sodium Lactate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Silica, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Boron Nitride, Hexylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tin Oxide, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialMaranta Arundinacea Root Powder
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantTapioca Starch
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientSchinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil
EmollientSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Mandelic Acid, Maranta Arundinacea Root Powder, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Panthenol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide
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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil (aka marula oil) is a skin hydrating ingredient.
Its fatty acid profile is dominated by oleic acid (~69%), palmitic acid (~15%), linoleic acid (~9%), and palmitoleic acid (~4%).
These fatty acids are very similar to those naturally found in the epidermis, making this oil biomimetic; basically, your skin recognizes it.
Clinical testing found this ingredient to be moisturizing and non-irritating, with noteworthy effects on reducing transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
Besides fatty acids, marula oil is also rich in oxidative stabilizers like vitamin E, vitamin C precursors, and polyphenols. This gives it excellent shelf stability compared to most facial oils.
This is a great ingredient for dry, dull, or barrier-compromised skin.
Just know it may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fatty acids can as as a food source for the Malassezia yeast.
Learn more about Sclerocarya Birrea Seed OilWater. 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