What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Cera Alba, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Methylsilanol Mannuronate
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Protein
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningJuglans Regia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingMannitol
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientBenzoic Acid
Masking
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tapioca Starch, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Protein, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Juglans Regia Seed Extract, Methylpropanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Mannitol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Levulinate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Benzoic Acid, P-Anisic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Disodium EDTA, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Coumarin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Learn more about Glyceryl CaprylatePrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil comes from the sweet almond, a tree native to Iran. This oil has no fragrance and is non-volatile.
Almonds contain healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. It is a rich source of Vitamin E, a great antioxidant and skin conditioning ingredient. Sweet almond oil contains fatty acids such as linolenic acid and triglycerides.
The content of sweet almond oil makes it a great emollient; it can help soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a barrier over your skin to trap moisture in. Sweet almond oil has antioxidant properties.
Those with an almond allergy should be careful of this ingredient and speak with a professional about using it in your skincare.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilSodium levulinate is the a sodium salt of Levulinic Acid. Oncedissolved in an aqueous solution, the two ingredients become identical. It is usually derived from renewable plant sources like corn starch or sugarcane.
In skincare, it mostly acts as a skin conditioning agent that keeps skin soft and hydrated. It also acts as a preservative booster by inhibiting the growth of mold, yeast, and bacteria.
It's often paired with Sodium Anisate as the two create a broad-spectrum preservative system that is popular in "natural" formulations.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be non-irritated and there are no restrictions for use in EU cosmetics. The FDA also allows this ingredient to be used as a food-grade flavoring agent.
Learn more about Sodium LevulinateWater. 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
