What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCastor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
HumectantCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Rose Extract
Skin ConditioningPadina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMica
Cosmetic ColorantPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Carrageenan
Emulsion StabilisingRosa Centifolia Flower Extract
AstringentCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCollagen Amino Acids
MoisturisingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningCaesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantTin Oxide
AbrasiveBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Rose Extract, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Mica, Phenethyl Alcohol, CI 77891, Sodium Carrageenan, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, CI 77491, Collagen Amino Acids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Maris Sal, Caesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract, Tocopherol, Tin Oxide, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Geraniol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningXylose
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCellulose
AbsorbentDipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningC20-22 Alkyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC20-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
MaskingSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantCoco-Glucoside
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingAminoethanesulfinic Acid
AntioxidantCarnosine
Skin ConditioningPotassium Chloride
Sodium Bicarbonate
AbrasiveDisodium Phosphate
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantMagnesium Sulfate
Micrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Phosphate
BufferingCalcium Chloride
AstringentWater, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Xylose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cellulose, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, C20-22 Alkyl Phosphate, C20-22 Alcohols, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Parfum, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Coco-Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Hydroxide, Adenosine, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Aminoethanesulfinic Acid, Carnosine, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, Disodium Phosphate, Tocopherol, Magnesium Sulfate, Micrococcus Lysate, Potassium Phosphate, Calcium Chloride
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 ingredientâs 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 TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.
As an emollient, Isononyl Isononanoate helps keep your skin soft and smooth. This is because emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.
Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.
Learn more about Isononyl IsononanoateLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil is from the seeds of the meadowfoam plant. It is a skin conditioning agent and emollient that sits on top of skin to soften and hydrate it.
Over 98% of the oil is made up of long-chain fatty acids, mostly aachidic acid (61%), docosenoic acid (~16%), and docosadienoic acid (~18%).
This combination is not really found in any other plant oil and is the reason this is one of the most stable botanical oils available.
Some studies show it to be more stable than jojoba oil, helps a product resist going rancid, and can help extend the shelf life of a formula.
It also naturally contains vitamin E and phytosterols that give it a mild antioxidant benefit.
This ingredient is typically used from around 1% to fairly high levels since it's gentle; it's well-tolerated and low on the irritation scale.
Learn more about Limnanthes Alba Seed OilParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of âFRAGRANCEâ or âPARFUMâ according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
Itâs often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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