What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningSuperoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Hesperidin
EmollientGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Seed Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCamellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Superoxide Dismutase, Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Caffeine, Hesperidin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Isopropyl Palmitate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Tocopherol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Peel Extract, Ceramide NP
Water
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Soluble Proteoglycan
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hexapeptide-9, Hexapeptide-11, Copper Tripeptide-1, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Panthenol, Arginine, Sorbitan Olivate, Sorbitan Stearate, Adenosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Soluble Proteoglycan, Betaine, Allantoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
