What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingIsocetyl Stearoyl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingC20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthyl Hexanediol
SolventPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeArginine
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingSnail Secretion Filtrate, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ethyl Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine, Dimethicone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Palmitic Acid, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Adenosine, Water, Myristic 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.
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 TriglycerideCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholWater. 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