What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Totarol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMethylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCopper Lysinate/Prolinate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Alcohol Denat., Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Totarol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Maltodextrin, Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Butylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Cocoate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Stearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Octyldodecanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ubiquinone, Biotin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Zea Mays Oil, Beta-Carotene, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium EDTA, Dehydroacetic 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.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 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.
Stearyl 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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
