What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Glycereth-26, Glycerin, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Caprylyl Methicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Oleate, Betaine, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Trehalose, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Glucoside
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingIsododecane
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Dilaurate
Surfactant
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Trehalose, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Carbomer, Isododecane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dicaprylyl Ether, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Panthenol, Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract, Tromethamine, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-10 Dilaurate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Gluconolactone, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Pentylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/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 Methicone is a synthetic and lightweight silicone fluid. It gives products a silky, dry-touch finish without the heaviness of pure oils.
Though the EU CosIng Database lists this ingredient as a skin conditioner, it is also used for sensory reasons. It spreads easily, cuts greasiness, and reduces tackiness.
This ingredient is volatile which means it will mostly evaporate (but it evaporates slower than older cyclomethicones, like Cyclotetrasiloxane).
Typical concentration ranges from 1-30% depending on if it's being used to tweak the feel of a product or acting as the main emollient.
Learn more about Caprylyl MethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinTrehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.
As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.
In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.
Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.
Learn more about TrehaloseWater. 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
