What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Water, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Zea Mays Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Flower
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Curcuma Longa Root Oil
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Water, Propylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Flower, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylic/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 TriglycerideDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl GlucosidePEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate is a synthetic, oil-loving helper ingredient that does two jobs:
This ingredient is made by joining three building blocks: PEG, Isostearic Acid and glycerin. The PEG gives it the oil-and-water blending power.
This ingredient has been found safe for use in cosmetics and broader PEG family testing shows minimal irritation/sensitization. The molecule's large size also means it isn't expected to penetrate skin to any meaningful degree.
Fungal acne note: This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to isostearic acid (C18). Isostearic acid falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about PEG-20 Glyceryl TriisostearatePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
