What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Psidium Guajava Seed Oil
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Batyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Melia Azadirachta Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Citrate
BufferingSilanetriol
Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Behenyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Diisostearyl Malate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Cetyl Palmitate, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Psidium Guajava Seed Oil, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Caffeine, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Batyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Melia Azadirachta Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Decyl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Potassium Citrate, Silanetriol, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Extract, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract
Antioxidant
Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyectoin
Buffering
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
SurfactantSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Betaine, Phospholipids, Linoleic Acid, Glycine Soja Sterols, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil, Ectoin, Hydroxyectoin, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Carbomer, Anhydroxylitol, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Stearic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Saccharide Isomerate, Xylitol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
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 ingredientâs 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 GlycerinSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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 Water
