What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Chamomilla Recutita Flower
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Chamomilla Recutita Flower, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Esters
EmollientCera Alba
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHumulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingPropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePanthenol
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeSorbitol
HumectantLimonene
PerfumingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyaminopropyl Biguanide
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Esters, Cera Alba, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Stearate, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sorbitol, Limonene, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
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 AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinThis oil is derived from the leaves of Eucalyptus Globulus, a type of Eucalyptus tree native to Australia.
Though this oil shows antibacterial and antioxidant activity, it is also a known skin-irritant due to its fragrance components.
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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimonenePhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
While Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil can be volatile due to its fragrant properties, the fragrance components are usually removed in the leaf extract.
Rosemary Leaf Extract contains many antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid. Rosemarinic acid, a compound found in rosemary leaf, has been found to help soothe skin conditions such as eczema and acne.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractSorbitan Stearate comes from sorbitol and stearic acid. Sorbitol is a type of sugar and stearic acid is a fatty acid.
It is used as an emulsifier and helps ingredients stay together by creating water-in-oil emulsions.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter comes from the Theobroma cacoa, or Cacao tree. Cacao trees are native to tropical landscapes.
Like other plant butters, Cacao seed butter is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. By creating a barrier to trap moisture in, emollients help keep your skin hydrated.
Cacao seed butter contains antioxidants known as polyphenols. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules by stabilizing them. Unstable free-radicals may cause damage to your skin cells. Antioxidants may help with anti-aging.
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter can be bad for acne prone skin.
Learn more about Theobroma Cacao Seed ButterWater. 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