What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Decyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Isostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
C13-15 Alkane
SolventButylene Glycol Cocoate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCitric Acid
Buffering
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylcellulose
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Phytate
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Behenyl Alcohol, C12-16 Alcohols, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Decyl Esters, Isostearyl Alcohol, C13-15 Alkane, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Palmitic Acid, Phospholipids, Sphingolipids, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Squalane, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Citric Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylcellulose, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Phytate, Potassium Sorbate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Squalene
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides Citrate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sphingolipids, Phospholipids, Phytosphingosine, Squalene, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Glycerin, Panthenol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Beta-Sitosterol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides Citrate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
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 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 GlycerinOryza Sativa Bran Extract comes from the outer layer of a rice kernel. It is a byproduct of milling rice, or the operation to produce a whole grain rice product.
This ingredient has moisturizing properties due to its components of polysaccharides and omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains calcium, selenium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc.
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract contains numerous antioxidants such as ferulic acid. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material.
Learn more about Oryza Sativa Bran ExtractPhenoxyethanol 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.
Phospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.
In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).
Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.
They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.
Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.
Some types of phospholipids include:
Learn more about PhospholipidsSphingolipids are a major class of lipids in cell membranes. This ingredient has emollient, skin conditioning, and skin protecting properties.
Certain ceramides are considered sphingolipids (Ceramide NS and Ceramid AP), but not all sphingolipids are ceramides.
Tocopherol 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 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
