What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingPolyglyceryl-3 Stearate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentHeptyl Undecylenate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientPhyllostachys Pubescens Shoot Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningAspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientCyclodextrin
AbsorbentHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Cetyl Palmitate
EmollientSodium Phytate
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingWater, Propanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Oryza Sativa Extract, Heptyl Undecylenate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Phyllostachys Pubescens Shoot Bark Extract, Aspergillus Ferment, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Cyclodextrin, Hyaluronic Acid, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Cetyl Palmitate, Sodium Phytate, Sorbitan Palmitate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventBetaine
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicMorus Nigra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLycium Chinense Fruit Extract
AntioxidantFragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBerberis Vulgaris Root Extract
AntimicrobialMadecassoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingMalachite Extract
AntioxidantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingArginine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, C14-22 Alcohols, Glyceryl Stearate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Trehalose, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Allantoin, Propanediol, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, Ceramide NP, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Morus Nigra Fruit Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Berberis Vulgaris Root Extract, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Malachite Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Arginine, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
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.Ā
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 preservativesĀ
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/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 ingredientās 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 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Ā
Itās often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSorbitan 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 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