What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Arachidyl Glucoside
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Behenyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Arachidyl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Glucose, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Phycosaccharide Ac
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Seed Extract
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Rosa Moschata Seed Oil
Emollient
Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingP-Anisic Acid
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Rosa Damascena Extract
MaskingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingHibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Callus Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sinensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoconut Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Isethionate
CleansingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Saccharide Isomerate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium PCA, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Beta-Glucan, Phycosaccharide Ac, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Sodium Levulinate, Triticum Vulgare Seed Extract, Citric Acid, Rosa Moschata Seed Oil, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Maltodextrin, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Citrate, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Phytate, Decyl Glucoside, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosa Damascena Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Callus Extract, Hibiscus Sinensis Flower Extract, Coconut Acid, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Isethionate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Benzoate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
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 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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
