What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Panthenol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Allantoin, Squalane, Sodium PCA, Lecithin, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysilicone-11
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Lysine
Skin ConditioningC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAzelaic Acid
Buffering
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Mannitol
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Xylitol
Humectant
Andrographis Paniculata Leaf Extract
AstringentRhamnose
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dipropylene Glycol, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, C14-22 Alcohols, Pentylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysilicone-11, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Lysine, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Azelaic Acid, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Mannitol, Salicylic Acid, Xylitol, Andrographis Paniculata Leaf Extract, Rhamnose, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Fructooligosaccharides, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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
