What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventCetyl Esters
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
EmulsifyingJojoba Esters
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientAcacia Decurrens Flower Cera
EmollientAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCamelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Cera
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Isohexadecane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolyglycerin-3
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Parfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Cetyl Esters, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Jojoba Esters, Behenyl Alcohol, Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Isohexadecane, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglycerin-3, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Oleate, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Parfum
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningAlmond/Borage/Linseed/Olive Acids/Glycerides
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
EmulsifyingJojoba Esters
EmollientOryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingHippophae Rhamnoides Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantMagnesium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Water, Almond/Borage/Linseed/Olive Acids/Glycerides, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Jojoba Esters, Oryza Sativa Starch, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Tocopherol, Magnesium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Dehydroacetic Acid, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilJojoba Esters is a wax created from Jojoba oil. It is an emollient and film-forming ingredient. In bead form, it is an exfoliator.
This ingredient has high oxidative stability, meaning it doesn't break down when exposed to oxygen.
Its similarity to our skin's natural oils makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe our skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, keeping skin hydrated.
It is created using either the hydrogenation or transesterification processes on jojoba oil.
Learn more about Jojoba EstersParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumThis ingredient is a modified version of natural beeswax where the free fatty acids have been swapped for polyglycerol esters to make it more hydrophilic (water-loving).
It mainly works as an emulsifier to help oil and water stay mixed in a formula. You'll also see it in stick formulas because it also thickens and stabilizes oils to prevent the oils from bleeding.
Emulsifiers like this tend to be well tolerated unless you have a known bee-product allergy. Due to this ingredient being an ester of beeswax fatty acids, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 BeeswaxPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.
As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.
This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.
Learn more about Sodium Stearoyl GlutamateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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