What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Cera Alba
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHumulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sorbitol
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyaminopropyl Biguanide
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium 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
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Cocoamphoacetate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Disteareth-75 Ipdi
Glycereth-7 Caprylate/Caprate
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Phytic Acid
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Farnesol
Perfuming
Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Phytate
Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Masking
Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Extract
AstringentPolyglyceryl-3 Laurate
EmulsifyingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Propanediol, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Disteareth-75 Ipdi, Glycereth-7 Caprylate/Caprate, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Mandelic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Phytic Acid, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Citric Acid, Farnesol, Barosma Betulina Leaf Extract, Sodium PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Alcohol, Sodium Phytate, Jasminum Officinale Flower/Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Eugenia Caryophyllus Flower Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidThis 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 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 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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
