What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentIsobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol
Bleaching
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Triisostearin
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tapioca Starch
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPantolactone
Humectant
Trisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Cetearyl Alcohol, Diisopropyl Adipate, Panthenol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cocoglycerides, Distarch Phosphate, Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Triisostearin, Citric Acid, Tapioca Starch, Xanthan Gum, Pantolactone, Trisodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientCanola Oil
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Xylitol
Humectant
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitamide Mea
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMannitol
Humectant
Rhamnose
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Sucrose Stearate, Canola Oil, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Beta-Sitosterol, Xylitol, Zinc Gluconate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Palmitamide Mea, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Mannitol, Rhamnose, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide NP, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Fructooligosaccharides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Citric Acid, Ceramide EOP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholThis 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 GlycolCitric 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 GlycerinWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
