What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Sodium Magnesium Silicate
Cera Alba
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantButylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Cyclomethicone, Hydrated Silica, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Cera Alba, Isopropyl Palmitate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Decylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum, Mica, CI 77891, Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Water
Skin ConditioningAlumina
Abrasive
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Menthone Glycerin Acetal
Refreshing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Oxide
AbsorbentPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Alumina, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Lactic Acid, Parfum, Menthone Glycerin Acetal, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Oxide, Propylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citral, Limonene
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 ingredientâs 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 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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
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 StearateParfum 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 âFRAGRANCEâ or âPARFUMâ 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 ParfumPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
