What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C15-19 Alkane
SolventDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Erythritol
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Trehalose
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tetraacetylphytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Glycerin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, C15-19 Alkane, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Inulin, Erythritol, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Trehalose, Betaine, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Glycosphingolipids, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tetraacetylphytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Beta-Glucan, Caprylyl Glycol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Gluconate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Hyaluronate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Oryza Sativa Bran Water
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Caprate
EmulsifyingXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hyaluronic Acid, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyglutamic Acid, Lactobacillus, Maltodextrin, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, BHT, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol
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 TriglycerideCeramide AP is is a skin-identical lipid that mimics what your skin already makes naturally. Ceramides help maintain epidermal integrity and barrier function.
You'll often see this ingredient paired with other ceramides (like ceramide NP), cholesterol, or fatty acids because this combination best mimics the natural lipid mix your skin already has.
The skin's ability to produce ceramides gets disrupted in skin conditions like eczema. This in turn weakens the skin barrier and applying ceramides topically has been shown to replenish what's been lost to restore barrier function.
Most of the studies with Ceramide AP test it as part of a multi-ceramide complex; studies reinforce ceramide AP's role in rebalancing ceramides in skin and improving skin hydration.
Learn more about Ceramide APCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopheryl 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
