What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
C15-19 Alkane
SolventDimethicone
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrolyzed Lupine Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sucrose Palmitate
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingTin Oxide
Abrasive
Hydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Denatonium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Magnesium Chloride
Aluminum Butoxide
StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Erbium Chloride
Skin ProtectingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantSuperoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Calcium Chloride
AstringentMagnesium Sulfate
Glutamine
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Histidine Hcl
Skin ConditioningValine
MaskingLeucine
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningTryptophan
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingGlycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Cystine
MaskingCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Asparagine
MaskingAspartic Acid
Masking
Ornithine Hcl
Skin ConditioningNicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Coenzyme A
Skin ConditioningSodium Glucuronate
HumectantThiamine Hcl
MaskingRetinyl Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Inositol
Humectant
Niacin
SmoothingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicCalcium Pantothenate
Riboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propanediol, C15-19 Alkane, Dimethicone, Gluconolactone, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Lupine Seed Extract, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, CI 77891, Sodium Hydroxide, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Parfum, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Chlorphenesin, Cetyl Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 80, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sucrose Palmitate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Tin Oxide, Hydroxystearic Acid, Glyceryl Linoleate, Denatonium Benzoate, Benzyl Benzoate, Magnesium Chloride, Aluminum Butoxide, Citric Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Glucose, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10, Erbium Chloride, CI 17200, Superoxide Dismutase, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Glutamine, Ascorbic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Arginine Hcl, Alanine, Histidine Hcl, Valine, Leucine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Tryptophan, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Glycine, Serine, Cystine, Cyanocobalamin, Glutathione, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Ornithine Hcl, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Proline, Coenzyme A, Sodium Glucuronate, Thiamine Hcl, Retinyl Acetate, Inositol, Niacin, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hcl, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
10-Hydroxydecenoic Acid
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Guanidine Carbonate
BufferingPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propylene Glycol, Beeswax, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, 10-Hydroxydecenoic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Guanidine Carbonate, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sclerotium Gum, Sorbitan Isostearate
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 TriglycerideCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPolysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Sorbitan 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 IsostearateWater. 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
