What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Propanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Madecassoside, Lecithin, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Glycerin, Caprylyl Methicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Madecassoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Water, Asiaticoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Allantoin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Octyldodecanol, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
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
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 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 TriglycerideCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDisodium 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 EDTAMadecassoside is one of four active compounds found in Centella asiatica and is one of the main reasons Centella is so effective at calming irritated skin and supporting the moisture barrier.
There's a solid body of peer-reviewed research backing Madecassoside for several skin benefits. Studies have found:
Madecassoside pairs well with other hydrating or antioxidant ingredients like Ascorbic Acid or Hyaluronic Acid.
Learn more about MadecassosidePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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
