What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 3%
UV Absorber
Benzophenone-3 3%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPiroctone Olamine
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 7.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 3%, Benzophenone-3 3%, Water, Glycerin, Cyclomethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Methylpropanediol, Alcohol Denat., Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Ubiquinone, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Piroctone Olamine, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Isoceteth-10
EmulsifyingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Cichorium Intybus Root Extract
MaskingLecithin
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Polysorbate 20, PEG-40 Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Niacinamide, Isoceteth-10, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract, Lecithin, Retinol, Silica, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Citric Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 TriglycerideCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
