What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Yogurt
Skin ProtectingHexyldecyl Stearate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Algin
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium Phosphate
BufferingEpigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Gallyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLactic Acid
Buffering
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Lecithin
Emollient
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Maris Aqua
HumectantPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPhenylpropanol
Masking
Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingPropyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Pullulan
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Trehalose
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Yogurt, Hexyldecyl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Diisostearyl Malate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Squalane, C14-22 Alcohols, Isoamyl Laurate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Arachidyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C10-18 Triglycerides, PEG-100 Stearate, Algin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Behenyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Lactic Acid, Lactobacillus, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Lecithin, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Maltodextrin, Maris Aqua, Phenethyl Alcohol, Phenylpropanol, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Phosphate, Propyl Gallate, Pullulan, Saccharide Isomerate, Serine, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopherol, Trehalose, Urea, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Physalis Angulata Extract
Skin ProtectingCastanea Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diheptyl Succinate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Panthenol, Physalis Angulata Extract, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytosphingosine, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCaprylic/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 GlycerinThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTetrasodium 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
