What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningUndecane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSqualane
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSalicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningTridecane
PerfumingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Undecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Tridecane, Carbomer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantIsopentyldiol
HumectantResveratrol
AntioxidantSpermidine
AntioxidantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningPentapeptide-18
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSqualane
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialUndecane
EmollientTridecane
PerfumingPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingStearalkonium Hectorite
Gel FormingPropylene Carbonate
SolventCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingErgothioneine
AntioxidantTricholoma Matsutake Mycelium Ferment Extract
HumectantTricholoma Matsutake Extract
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin ConditioningNicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
PerfumingLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Isopentyldiol, Resveratrol, Spermidine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Pentapeptide-18, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Panthenol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Undecane, Tridecane, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Carbomer, Ergothioneine, Tricholoma Matsutake Mycelium Ferment Extract, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Ectoin, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Citric Acid
Reviews
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 ingredientâs final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itâs technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term âoil-freeâ isnât regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneTridecane is a lightweight emollient and fragrancing ingredient. It is a paraffin and often called a silicone alternative.
According to official INCI guidelines, this ingredient is used to give a light odor to raw materials. It is often used as a starter ingredient to create parfum.
This ingredient can be derived from palm oil, or coconut oil. It is also naturally found in certain species of organisms.
According to the NOAA, this ingredient can cause skin sensitivity with prolonged use. However, this warning is taken from the Coast Guard and no studies have been done on this in relation to cosmetics.
Tridecane is not water soluble.
Learn more about TridecaneUndecane is an emollient and helps create a lightweight base for products.
Is is not soluble in water and naturally occurring in some species.
Water. 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