What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
C18-36 Acid Triglyceride
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningCrocus Chrysanthus Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Pisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentElaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Cuspidatum Extract
Skin ConditioningAstaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Honey
Humectant
Tocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Totarol
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Glucosamine Hcl
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Cetearyl Olivate, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Polysorbate 60, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, C18-36 Acid Triglyceride, Sorbitan Olivate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Crocus Chrysanthus Bulb Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Pisum Sativum Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract, Astaxanthin, Honey, Tocotrienols, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Totarol, Hyaluronic Acid, Sphingolipids, Glucosamine Hcl, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Polysorbate 20, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Totarol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMethylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCopper Lysinate/Prolinate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Alcohol Denat., Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Totarol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Maltodextrin, Syringa Vulgaris Leaf Cell Culture Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Butylene Glycol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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 TriglycerideCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is used in skincare as a delivery system.
It works by "encapsulating" active ingredients with its unique ring shape that is water-loving on the outside and oil-loving on the inside. This improves the stability and absorption of the product into the skin.
According to a manufacturer, it also offer some moisturizing effects.
Learn more about Hydroxypropyl CyclodextrinThis synthetic, signal peptide has unique skin conditioning properties in that is a matrikine-mimetic compound.
First of all, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38 is a signal peptide; signal peptides tell the body to create more collagen.
What is a matrikine-mimetic compound?
This peptide has the ability to mimic matrikines in skin. Our skin created matrikines by breaking down matrix proteins into peptides.
Matrikines play a role in:
Though further research is needed, this ingredient seems pretty promising. In one study, women over the age of 40 with visible photoaging used a vitamin C serum with this ingredient for 56 days (15% ascorbid acid, 5 ppm palmitoyl tripeptide‐38). The results found improvement in skin roughness and skin tone.
This peptide is also part of the famous Matrixyl synthe’6, a blend of ingredients that also includes glycerin, water, and hydroxypropyl cyclodextrin.
Learn more about Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateTotarol is an antioxidant.
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
