What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol
Bleaching
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pimpinella Anisum Fruit Extract
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Trisodium EDTA
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Alcohol Denat., Cocoglycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Diisopropyl Adipate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Lauroyl Lysine, Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Pimpinella Anisum Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Trisodium EDTA, Tin Oxide, CI 77891, CI 77492, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Isostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Resveratrol Dimethyl Ether
Antioxidant
Quercetin
Antioxidant
Pinanediol
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Methylsilanol Mannuronate
Skin ConditioningMelilotus Officinalis Extract
AstringentHydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein
Skin ConditioningHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCamphanediol
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine
Skin Conditioning
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Triethanolamine
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Steareth-20
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cholate
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingChlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Dextran Sulfate
Gel Forming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Citronellyl Methylcrotonate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propylene Glycol, Isostearyl Isostearate, Glycerin, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glyceryl Behenate, Cetyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Superoxide Dismutase, Resveratrol Dimethyl Ether, Quercetin, Pinanediol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Melilotus Officinalis Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Glycine Soja Protein, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Dipeptide-2, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Camphanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Cyclohexasiloxane, Behenyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Lecithin, Arachidyl Glucoside, Alcohol, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Triethanolamine, Polysorbate 20, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, BHT, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Steareth-20, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cholate, Sodium Citrate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Citric Acid, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Parfum, Citronellyl Methylcrotonate, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, CI 15985
Reviews
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 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 TriglycerideCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 StearatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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
