What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-6 Stearate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrideceth-9
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Glucose
Humectant
Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitol, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-6 Stearate, Carbomer, Trideceth-9, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Glucose, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDaucus Carota Sativa Juice
Skin ConditioningCarya Ovata Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract
HumectantCinnamomum Camphora Leaf Oil
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sorbitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Benzyl Acetate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Alpha-Ionone
Perfuming
Nonyl Nonoxynol-10
SurfactantCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Carbomer, Daucus Carota Sativa Juice, Carya Ovata Bark Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Cinnamomum Camphora Leaf Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sucrose Cocoate, Sorbitol, Glucose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Benzyl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Alpha-Ionone, Nonyl Nonoxynol-10, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate
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 TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucosePhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium 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 HydroxideSorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.
As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.
It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.
Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.
Learn more about SorbitolTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps prevent unwanted effects and reactions from a product. These metal ions may come from water and are found in miniscule amounts.
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate can also help other preservatives be more effective.
Water. 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
