What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientTrehalose
Humectant
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Trehalose, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Allantoin, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 60, Disodium EDTA
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPunica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientOriganum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningChamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-29
Antioxidant
Oligopeptide-32
Antiseborrhoeic
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGossypium Herbaceum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Water, Niacinamide, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbitan Olivate, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Oligopeptide-29, Oligopeptide-32, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sclerotium Gum, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Xanthan Gum, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Extract, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, 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.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
