What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Cetyl Acetate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingDimethicone
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Distearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Lactose
HumectantMel
EmollientMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Triceteareth-4 Phosphate
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingCitral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum, Cetyl Acetate, Ceteareth-20, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Ethoxydiglycol, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Lactose, Mel, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Propylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triceteareth-4 Phosphate, Tromethamine, Citral, Citronellol, Eugenol, Hydroxycitronellal, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77492
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientShea Butter Glycerides
Emulsifying
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Caryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Shea Butter Glycerides, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Caryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Propanediol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic 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 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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 is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWater. 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
