What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantEthylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantHymenaea Courbaril Seed Extract
Skin ProtectingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSarcosine
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSpilanthes Acmella Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Magnesium Aspartate
BufferingCetyl Palmitate
EmollientCeteareth-12
EmulsifyingBenzoic Acid
MaskingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSilanetriol
Sorbic Acid
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingDMDM Hydantoin
PreservativeTbhq
AntioxidantIodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
PreservativeGlycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Propylene Glycol, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Butylene Glycol, Hymenaea Courbaril Seed Extract, Chlorphenesin, Sarcosine, Glyceryl Stearate, Spilanthes Acmella Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Polysorbate 80, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Magnesium Aspartate, Cetyl Palmitate, Ceteareth-12, Benzoic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Silanetriol, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid, DMDM Hydantoin, Tbhq, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
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 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 TriglycerideCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxanePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about Phenoxyethanol