What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearates
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Squalane
Emollient
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Behenate
Isostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Water, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Urea, Sodium Chloride, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearates, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactic Acid, Squalane, Behenic Acid, Cetyl Behenate, Isostearyl Isostearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate
Emulsifying
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xylitol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearates
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Pantolactone
Humectant
Water, Betaine, Glycerin, Canola Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Squalane, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Xylitylglucoside, Caprylyl Methicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Anhydroxylitol, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xylitol, Glyceryl Stearates, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Pantolactone
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 ingredientās 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 AlcoholEthylhexyl Stearate mainly acts as an emollient that also helps reduce the greasiness of oils in a formula. As an emollient, it softens and hydrates your skin by locking moisture in.
Because Ethylhexyl Stearate contains a C18 fatty acid chain, it may not be Malassezia/fungal acne safe. This is because the Malassezia yeast potentially feeds on C11-C24 fatty acids. If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and stearic acid.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl StearateGlyceryl Stearates isn't fungal acne safe.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itās technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term āoil-freeā isnāt regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneTocopheryl 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
