What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
EmollientPolyethylene
AbrasivePEG-8 Isostearate
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingSalvia Officinalis Oil
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Polyethylene, PEG-8 Isostearate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Phenoxyethanol
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 TriglyceridePEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate is a synthetic, oil-loving helper ingredient that does two jobs:
This ingredient is made by joining three building blocks: PEG, Isostearic Acid and glycerin. The PEG gives it the oil-and-water blending power.
This ingredient has been found safe for use in cosmetics and broader PEG family testing shows minimal irritation/sensitization. The molecule's large size also means it isn't expected to penetrate skin to any meaningful degree.
Fungal acne note: This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to isostearic acid (C18). Isostearic acid falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate