What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientPhytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polybutene
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Curcuma Longa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tribehenin
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientMalic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Amber Powder
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer
Aroma
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Diisostearyl Malate, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polybutene, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Synthetic Wax, Ethylene/Propylene/Styrene Copolymer, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Extract, Tocopherol, Tribehenin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Malic Acid, Lactic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Amber Powder, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Butylene/Ethylene/Styrene Copolymer, Aroma, Limonene
Petrolatum
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-8 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Silica
Abrasive
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Extract
BleachingPolybutene
Salicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningOleic Acid
Emollient
Phoenix Dactylifera Fruit Extract
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Moringa Oil/Hydrogenated Moringa Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientCrithmum Maritimum Extract
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polydecene
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Acrylates Copolymer
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Tribehenin
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Saccharin
MaskingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Potassium Sulfate
Vanillin
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningAlumina
Abrasive
Polyethylene Terephthalate
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Calcium Sodium Borosilicate
Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77400
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantCI 73360
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45370
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45380
Cosmetic ColorantPetrolatum, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-8 Beeswax, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Silica, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Polybutene, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Oleic Acid, Phoenix Dactylifera Fruit Extract, Squalane, Moringa Oil/Hydrogenated Moringa Oil Esters, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Cholesterol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Polydecene, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Acrylates Copolymer, Palmitic Acid, Tribehenin, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Saccharin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Potassium Sulfate, Vanillin, Parfum, Water, Alumina, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Tin Oxide, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Mica, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, CI 19140, CI 77400, CI 15850, CI 45410, CI 73360, CI 75470, CI 77163, CI 42090, CI 15985, CI 17200, CI 45370, CI 77742, CI 45380
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 TriglycerideEthylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
In cosmetics, it plays many roles:
One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.
For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is an ester of palmitic acid, a C16 fatty acid that falls within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitatePalmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.
That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.
Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.
Human clinical data is promising, but modest:
A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.
A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.
You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Polybutene is used to help control the viscosity of a product. This just means it helps adjusts the texture.
It is a polymer and does not get absorbed into the skin due to its large size.
Studies found this ingredient did not irritate skin in concentrations below 15%.
Learn more about PolybuteneSorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (THD) is a stable and oil-soluble form of Vitamin C.
THD is special in that it has the ability to travel deeper into skin than traditional ascorbic acid while maintaining the same skin benefits (double win!).
Because it’s oil-soluble, THD dives deep into your skin’s fatty layers (think ceramides and cholesterol) to fight off the kind of free radicals that mess with your skin barrier. This makes it a great pair with water-based vitamin C (ascorbic acid) that mainly works on the surface.
Even at just 0.1%, THD is already showing great antioxidant activity. When used up to 2%, it helps keep your skin happy and calm, especially when it’s stressed from pollution or sun.
Want to fade dark spots or tackle hyperpigmentation? You’ll want 5% or more. Pairing it with brightening buddies like niacinamide or licorice root gives even better results. One study even used 30% THD with other brighteners and saw real results on stubborn discoloration, even in melasma-prone skin.
A note on THD: It’s has a slightly silky, oily texture and usually shows up colorless or pale yellow (though the exact shade can vary by supplier).
While you can sneak it into water-based formulas, it really shines when paired with silicones or oils, which help your skin soak it up better.
THD is pretty stable, but it’s still vulnerable to degradation like ascorbic acid. Too much light or heat (above 113°F / 45°C) can break it down over time. Go for dark and opaque packaging that keeps it safe and shady!
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Tetrahexyldecyl AscorbateTribehenin is the triglyceride of glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient that helps soften and condition skin.
Safety-wise, this is a well-vetted ingredient. Repeated-insult patch tests of 0.38% tribehenin did not trigger sensitization.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because behenic acid falls into the chain-length range that Malassezia yeasts can feed on.
Learn more about Tribehenin
