What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientOleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olus Oil
Emollient
Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil
Skin Protecting
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Avena Strigosa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dextran
Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hexyldecanol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLactic Acid
Buffering
Lecithin
Emollient
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingPinus Nigra Bud/Needle Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingSodium Citrate
BufferingSpilanthes Acmella Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Oleyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Isoamyl Laurate, Cetyl Palmitate, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Olus Oil, Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Behenyl Alcohol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Avena Strigosa Seed Extract, Bacillus Ferment, Citric Acid, Dextran, Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycine Soja Sterols, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hexyldecanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lactic Acid, Lecithin, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Pinus Nigra Bud/Needle Extract, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Sodium Citrate, Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningC13-15 Alkane
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
C15-19 Alkane
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Trioctyldodecyl Citrate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
Emulsifying
Isosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantBisabolol
Antioxidant
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Dextran
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, C13-15 Alkane, Butylene Glycol, C15-19 Alkane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Trioctyldodecyl Citrate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Synthetic Beeswax, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Polyglutamic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Bisabolol, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Ceramide NP, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Dextran, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholThis 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 TriglycerideCitric 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 AcidDextran is a sugar (polysaccharide) with skin hydrating properties.
Fun fact: Louis Pasteur first discovered this ingredient as a microbial product in wine.
Glycerin (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 TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
