What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Vitis Vinifera Juice
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Pullulan
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Dimethylaminoethanol Tartrate
EmollientThioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Gluconic Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Juice, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Triethyl Citrate, Gluconolactone, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Pullulan, Sodium Benzoate, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Ubiquinone, Dimethylaminoethanol Tartrate, Thioctic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Gluconate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Alcohol Denat., Gluconic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Phosphate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Phytosterols, Phospholipids, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sclerotium Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Allantoin, Linoleic Acid, Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid
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 GlycerinSclerotium Gum is a polysaccharide gum made by the fungus, Sclerotium rolfssii. It is similar to xanthan gum.
In cosmetics, Sclerotium Gum is used to thicken the texture and to help stabilize other ingredients.
As an emulsifier, Sclerotium Gum helps prevent ingredients from separating, such as water and oil.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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 Tocopherol
