What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycolic Acid 4%
Buffering
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Salicylic Acid 2%
Masking
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Glycolate
BufferingQuillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingLactic Acid 1%
Buffering
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Lactate
Buffering
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil 0.97%
Masking
Water, Propanediol, Glycolic Acid 4%, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Salicylic Acid 2%, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Sodium Glycolate, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Lactic Acid 1%, Sodium Salicylate, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Lactate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil 0.97%
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil 0.205%
Masking
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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 AlcoholMandarin peel oil is an essential oil made by distilling the peel of mandarin oranges. It is primarily used for fragrance but has some secondary skin conditioning effects.
This ingredient is rich in limonene and is generally considered milder than some other citrus oils (like lemon or bergamot). It is not strongly phototoxic because it contains little to no furocoumarins when properly produced.
Like other essential oils, this ingredient can be a fragrance allergen.
Learn more about Citrus Nobilis Peel OilGlyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Learn more about Glyceryl CaprylateWater. 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
