What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Limonene
Perfuming
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycereth-26
Humectant
C10-16 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil
Masking
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Yeast Polysaccharides
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract
AstringentSaponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingSuperoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Eugenol
Perfuming
Water, Isododecane, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Limonene, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycereth-26, C10-16 Alkyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Yeast Polysaccharides, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Superoxide Dismutase, Phenoxyethanol, Eugenol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Yucca Schidigera Leaf/Root/Stem Extract
CleansingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behenyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sucrose Distearate, Sucrose Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Tocopherol, Yucca Schidigera Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
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 TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Tocopherol 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
