What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Palmitate, Synthetic Beeswax, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Distarch Phosphate, Octyldodecanol, Pentylene Glycol, Panthenol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Glycine, Alanine, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Aphloia Theiformis Leaf Extract
AstringentPropanediol
Solvent
Tribehenin
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthyl Linoleate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Extract
HumectantLinalool
Perfuming
Alginic Acid
Skin ConditioningSilanetriol
Geraniol
Perfuming
Propyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Octyldodecanol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Acacia Senegal Gum, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Aphloia Theiformis Leaf Extract, Propanediol, Tribehenin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Stearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Linoleate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Lecithin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Extract, Linalool, Alginic Acid, Silanetriol, Geraniol, Propyl Gallate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
