What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOctyldodecanol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCera Alba
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantTropolone
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cera Alba, Sorbitan Olivate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tocopherol, Tropolone, Glycine Soja Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantMethylsilanol Mannuronate
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTapioca Starch
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Protein
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningJuglans Regia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingMannitol
HumectantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientBenzoic Acid
MaskingP-Anisic Acid
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Sorbic Acid
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingWater, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tapioca Starch, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Protein, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Juglans Regia Seed Extract, Methylpropanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Mannitol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Benzoic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Disodium EDTA, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Coumarin
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
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 AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” 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 ParfumSodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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