What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientIsoeicosane
EmollientDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Glycolate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Isohexadecane, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Allantoin, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Cellulose Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Isododecane, Isoeicosane, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Glycolate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Melia Azadirachta Bark Extract
AntimicrobialCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Disodium EDTA
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Isononyl Isononanoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Melia Azadirachta Bark Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Sorbate, Pvp, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Arginine, Disodium EDTA, CI 42090, CI 19140
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.
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 preservatives
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 TriglycerideDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopherol 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
