What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Methylpropanediol
SolventCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGlucose
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Fructose
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-2
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Citrate
BufferingEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ethyl Hexanediol
SolventHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide As
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Methylpropanediol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Glucose, Butylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Stearic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Fructose, Fructooligosaccharides, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sorbitol, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Madecassoside, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Citrate, Ectoin, Ceramide NP, Sorbitan Laurate, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Beta-Glucan, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Asiaticoside, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Ceramide Ns, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide Ng, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide AP, Ethyl Hexanediol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ceramide As, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Triisostearin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
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
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
