What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Isododecane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Silica
Abrasive
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Arachidyl Alcohol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Behenyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Isododecane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Squalane, Arachidyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Eugenol
Perfuming
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Eremophila Longifolia Leaf Extract
Antioxidant
Maclura Cochinchinensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSantalum Acuminatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingQuartz
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMalic Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lactic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Stearate, Eugenol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Eremophila Longifolia Leaf Extract, Maclura Cochinchinensis Leaf Extract, Santalum Acuminatum Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Quartz, Parfum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Xanthan Gum, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Malic Acid
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 ingredientās 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
AHAs work by breaking down the structural āglueā that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (thatās where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive or prone to rosacea, glycolic acid may be too strong; in that case, try milder options like lactic acid or a PHA instead.
Recent studies suggest glycolic acid might even help protect against UV damage. But donāt skip sunscreen! Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
Glycolic acid is a skincare superstar. It smooths, brightens, hydrates, and firms the skin. Unless youāre highly sensitive, itās well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidSodium 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
