What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Talc
Abrasive
Tapioca Starch
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Creatine
Skin Conditioning1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Cyclomethicone, Methylpropanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Octyldodecanol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Talc, Tapioca Starch, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ubiquinone, Creatine, 1-Methylhydantoin-2-Imide, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Cera Microcristallina, Paraffinum Liquidum, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Distarch Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Stearyl Alcohol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Cocoglycerides, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, 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 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 GlycerinMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolPhenoxyethanol 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
