What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSqualane
EmollientBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLactic Acid
BufferingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Retinol
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
BufferingHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingLactobionic Acid
BufferingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPEG-20
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Isopropyl Myristate, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Squalane, Beta-Glucan, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Carbomer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Arginine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Hyaluronic Acid, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Lactic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Retinol, Adenosine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phospholipids, Glycolic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Lactobionic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, PEG-20, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDimethiconol
EmollientParfum
MaskingTribehenin
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSucrose Cocoate
EmulsifyingMethylparaben
PreservativeLaureth-7
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantEthylparaben
PreservativeHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Benzoate
MaskingMorus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLindera Strychnifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-94
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-95
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sorbitan Stearate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethiconol, Parfum, Tribehenin, Dipropylene Glycol, Sucrose Cocoate, Methylparaben, Laureth-7, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylparaben, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Propylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Lindera Strychnifolia Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-94, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-95
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSorbitan Stearate comes from sorbitol and stearic acid. Sorbitol is a type of sugar and stearic acid is a fatty acid.
It is used as an emulsifier and helps ingredients stay together by creating water-in-oil emulsions.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Tocopheryl 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