What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitrus Aurantium Amara Peel Powder
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Extract
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLecithin
EmollientVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
AntioxidantMorinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentGarcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Aronia Arbutifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAristotelia Chilensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSorbic Acid
PreservativeBenzoic Acid
MaskingSpinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPetroselinum Crispum Leaf Extract
PerfumingCI 75810
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Kaolin, Glycerin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 60, Phenoxyethanol, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Powder, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Lecithin, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Garcinia Mangostana Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Aronia Arbutifolia Fruit Extract, Aristotelia Chilensis Fruit Extract, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Propanediol, Chlorphenesin, Sorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Petroselinum Crispum Leaf Extract, CI 75810
Water
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantButylene Glycol
HumectantSilica
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantVolcanic Ash
AbrasivePolyvinyl Alcohol
Bentonite
AbsorbentKaolin
AbrasiveCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPvp
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPEG-100 Stearate
Polysorbate 60
EmulsifyingCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingJuglans Regia Shell Powder
AbrasiveSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentPolyacrylate-13
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantMannitol
HumectantMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentLactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingPolyisobutene
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantMenthoxypropanediol
MaskingTetrasodium Pyrophosphate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Tocopherol
AntioxidantWater, CI 77891, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Glycerin, Trehalose, Volcanic Ash, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Bentonite, Kaolin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pvp, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-100 Stearate, Polysorbate 60, CI 77499, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Xanthan Gum, Juglans Regia Shell Powder, Sorbitan Stearate, Zea Mays Starch, Polyacrylate-13, Polysorbate 20, CI 77492, Mannitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Lactic Acid, Polyisobutene, CI 77491, Menthoxypropanediol, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, 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.
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 TriglycerideCetearyl 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 GlycerinKaolin is a clay. It is used for oil control and to help minimize pores. Like other clays, kaolin has the ability to absorb excess sebum or oil. This can help clean out pores and mattify the skin.
Some types of kaolin may have exfoliating properties. When water is added to kaolin, it becomes a paste with small abrasive particles.
Most kaolin is a white color, but may be pink/orange/red depending on where it comes from.
The name 'kaolin' comes from a Chinese village named 'Gaoling'. Kaolin clay comes from rocks rich in kaolinite. Kaolinite, the mineral, has a silicate layered structure. Kaolinite is formed from chemical weathering of aluminum siilicate minerals.
Besides skincare, kaolin is commonly used to make glossy paper, in ceramics, toothpaste, and as medicine to soothe stomach issues.
Learn more about KaolinPolysorbate 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 60Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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