What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantGlucose
HumectantChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantC12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingFructose
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Soymilk
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xylitol, Glucose, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Butylene Glycol, C12-14 Pareth-12, Fructose, Fructooligosaccharides, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Disodium EDTA, Soymilk, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Oryza Sativa Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCannabis Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientOleyl Erucate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingZinc PCA
HumectantHydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientGlucose
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Succinate
BufferingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientAchillea Millefolium Flower Extract
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Phytate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Oleyl Erucate, Niacinamide, Zinc PCA, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Glucose, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Succinate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Squalane, Achillea Millefolium Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide
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 TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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