What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientC10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Isohexadecane
EmollientSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Jojoba Esters, Diisostearyl Malate, C10-18 Triglycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Silica, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Isohexadecane, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Coffea Arabica Leaf/Seed Extract
MaskingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Propanediol, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bakuchiol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Coffea Arabica Leaf/Seed Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
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 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 CarbomerCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 Citrate is a citric acid ester of glyceryl stearate.
It is an emulsifier, emollient, and a surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating. Common ingredients include oils and water, which do not mix naturally. Emulsifiers have properties that help keep ingredients such as these together.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Surfactants help gather oils, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. This helps them to be easily rinsed away.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate CitrateWater. 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
