What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Poloxamer 184
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Propanediol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Poloxamer 184, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Panthenol, Allantoin, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
PEG-20 Glyceryl Isostearate
Surfactant
Rice Ferment Lees
HumectantGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningPlacental Extract
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Pseudozyma Epicola/Olive Fruit Oil Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Isostearate, Rice Ferment Lees, Glutamic Acid, Arginine, Leucine, Placental Extract, Arbutin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Squalane, Pseudozyma Epicola/Olive Fruit Oil Ferment Filtrate, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Parfum
Reviews
Alternatives
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 TriglyceridePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
