What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingBakuchiol
AntimicrobialStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentCetyl Palmitate
EmollientC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Palmitate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPolyisobutene
Myristyl Alcohol
EmollientPhyllostachys Pubescens Shoot Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Pulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningAspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientCyclodextrin
AbsorbentAdenosine
Skin ConditioningLauryl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingGlucose
HumectantWheat Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningNatto Gum
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, C14-22 Alcohols, Bakuchiol, Stearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tromethamine, Butylene Glycol, Oryza Sativa Extract, Cetyl Palmitate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyisobutene, Myristyl Alcohol, Phyllostachys Pubescens Shoot Bark Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Aspergillus Ferment, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Cyclodextrin, Adenosine, Lauryl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sorbitan Oleate, Glucose, Wheat Amino Acids, Natto Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Madecassoside
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearates
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantTetradecane
PerfumingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningAlbizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingDarutoside
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearates, Cetearyl Olivate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sorbitan Olivate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Tetradecane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Darutoside, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate
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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may feed that yeast, so it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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