What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentSqualane
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Lecithin
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantClimbazole
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Decylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Coumarin
Perfuming
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Cyclodextrin, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Alumina, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Stearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Retinal, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Sodium Polyaspartate, Climbazole, Disodium EDTA, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Decylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, BHT, Coumarin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium EDTA
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Sucrose Laurate
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Retinol, Bisabolol, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Laurate, Potassium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Tetrasodium EDTA, Behentrimonium Chloride, Sucrose Laurate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Benzoic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Reviews
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 TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
