What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Steareth-20
CleansingBacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
Emollient3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Caffeine, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ferulic Acid, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Steareth-20, Bacillus Ferment, Glyceryl Caprylate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Beta-Carotene, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Potassium Sorbate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-100 Stearate, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Sodium Polyglutamate, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
