What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Urea
Buffering
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Magnesium PCA
Humectant
Collagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Lecithin
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Urea, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Propanediol, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Magnesium PCA, Collagen Amino Acids, Lecithin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientDipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Urea
Buffering
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Crocus Sativus Flower Extract
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
C13-15 Alkane
SolventSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Beta-Caryophyllene
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Sucrose Stearate, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Squalane, Propanediol, Urea, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Polyglutamic Acid, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, C13-15 Alkane, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Potassium Sorbate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Palmitic Acid, Beta-Caryophyllene, Tocopherol, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caramel
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateUrea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.
Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:
Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.
Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.
As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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 Water
