What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbeth-30 Tetraisostearate
Emulsifying
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin Palmitate/Ethylhexanoate
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol
UV AbsorberSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oil/Hydrogenated Moringa Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ascorbyl Dipalmitate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraisostearate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Water, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Caprylyl Methicone, Dextrin Palmitate/Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, BHT, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopherol, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Moringa Oil/Hydrogenated Moringa Oil Esters, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Methylparaben, Ascorbyl Dipalmitate
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Methyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate
Emollient
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Salicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningCistus Monspeliensis Extract
MaskingHelichrysum Italicum Extract
AntiseborrhoeicPlukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Lemongrass Oil
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Diglycerin
Humectant
PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Water
Skin ConditioningStearoyl Inulin
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Diisostearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Methyl Gluceth-10, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Cistus Monspeliensis Extract, Helichrysum Italicum Extract, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Isostearate, Diglycerin, PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate, Water, Stearoyl Inulin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Tocopherol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol
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 TriglyceridePEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate is a synthetic, oil-loving helper ingredient that does two jobs:
This ingredient is made by joining three building blocks: PEG, Isostearic Acid and glycerin. The PEG gives it the oil-and-water blending power.
This ingredient has been found safe for use in cosmetics and broader PEG family testing shows minimal irritation/sensitization. The molecule's large size also means it isn't expected to penetrate skin to any meaningful degree.
Fungal acne note: This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to isostearic acid (C18). Isostearic acid falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about PEG-20 Glyceryl TriisostearateJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Fungal acne: The Malassezia yeast is known to metabolize fatty acids in the C11-24 range and jojoba's dominant fatty acid components fall into this range. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilTocopherol 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
