What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientShea Butter Glycerides
EmulsifyingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingCetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantCaryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantLinoleic Acid
CleansingLinolenic Acid
CleansingPropanediol
SolventPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingOleic Acid
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Shea Butter Glycerides, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Caryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Propanediol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantInulin
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventIsodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientRhus Succedanea Fruit Wax
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantArginine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Glutamic Acid
HumectantLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantPCA
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantGlucose
HumectantMaltose
MaskingFructose
HumectantSucrose
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingUrea
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Inulin, Propanediol, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Rhus Succedanea Fruit Wax, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Proline, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Betaine, Sodium PCA, PCA, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose, Maltose, Fructose, Sucrose, Trehalose, Sodium Lactate, Urea, Allantoin, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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 GlycerinPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a texture enhancer and pH adjuster.
It is be used to thicken water-based products and create a gel-texture with a velvet feel.
One manufacturer claims this ingredient to have a pH range of 2-8 and to be biodegradable.
This ingredient is also known as Sepimax Zen.
Learn more about Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6Propanediol 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 PropanediolTocopherol 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 Water