What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPropanediol
SolventCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialDisodium Cetearyl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethylheptylglycerin
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Silica, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Niacinamide, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Disodium Cetearyl Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Gluconate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylheptylglycerin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCannabis Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientOleyl Erucate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingZinc PCA
HumectantHydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientGlucose
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Succinate
BufferingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientAchillea Millefolium Flower Extract
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Phytate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Oleyl Erucate, Niacinamide, Zinc PCA, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Glucose, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Succinate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Squalane, Achillea Millefolium Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide
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 TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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