What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Triisostearin
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingBHT
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Vitis Vinifera, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Triisostearin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, BHT, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Distarch Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Sodium PCA, Glycine, Decylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Oleic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient comes from the Chinese licorice species, Glycyrrhiza Inflata. It has skin conditioning, soothing, and antioxidant properties.
The flavonoids in this ingredient show anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in lab studies. These compounds may also play a role in supporting a more even skin tone and helping to control microbial activity on acne-prone skin.
Oenothera Biennis Oil is the fixed oil derived from the seeds of the Evening Primrose.
Evening primrose oil is rich in fatty acids. These fatty acids include linoleic (60-85%), oleic (5-12%), palmitic (4-10%), and stearic (2-4%).
The fatty acid composition makes it a great ingredient for soothing and moisturizing skin. However, it may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne safe.
Further research is needed on the role of evening primrose in treating eczema.
Evening primrose is native to North America.
Learn more about Oenothera Biennis OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
