What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingSorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Glycerin, Propanediol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Squalane, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Trideceth-6, Sorbitan Laurate, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningHeptyl Undecylenate
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPeptide Complex
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Complex
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lecithin
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Squalane
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Water, Heptyl Undecylenate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Peptide Complex, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Niacinamide, Copper Tripeptide-1, Ceramide Complex, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Squalane, Disodium EDTA
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 EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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
