What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Decylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Menthoxypropanediol
Masking
Trisodium EDTA
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Palmitate, PEG-40 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Decylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Piroctone Olamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Menthoxypropanediol, Trisodium EDTA, Benzyl Alcohol, BHT
Colloidal Oatmeal 1%
Absorbent
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Nut Extract
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Honey
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingColloidal Oatmeal 1%, Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Nut Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Phytate, Honey, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol
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 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 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.
Water. 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
