What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
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Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingBehenyl Behenate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydrogenated Palm Glyceride
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium PCA
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil
AstringentCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Tangerina Peel Oil
MaskingAvena Sativa Bran Extract
AbrasiveLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialWater, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Triethylhexanoin, Behenyl Behenate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Panthenol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Palm Glyceride, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium PCA, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientLecithin
EmollientSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCitronellol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingWater, Isopropyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Persea Gratissima Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Lecithin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Aminomethyl Propanol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Citronellol, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool, Citral
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCaprylic/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 TriglycerideCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWater. 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