What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
C15-19 Alkane
SolventZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Acetic Acid
BufferingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pentylene Glycol, Panthenol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 20, C15-19 Alkane, Zea Mays Starch, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Bisabolol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lactic Acid, Acetic Acid, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water
AntimicrobialPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientVinyldimethicone
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tannic Acid
AstringentDisodium EDTA
Sodium Phytate
Water, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Vinyldimethicone, C14-22 Alcohols, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-51, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Beta-Glucan, Resveratrol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Tocopherol, Madecassoside, Sodium Dna, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide NP, Tannic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Phytate
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 TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol 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
