What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Tribehenin
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Methylparaben
Preservative
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Morus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLindera Strychnifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-94
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-95
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sorbitan Stearate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethiconol, Parfum, Tribehenin, Dipropylene Glycol, Sucrose Cocoate, Methylparaben, Laureth-7, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylparaben, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Propylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Lindera Strychnifolia Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-94, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-95
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Amelanchier Alnifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sorbitol
Humectant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Herb Oil
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Hylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Tremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Masking
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceteareth-25
CleansingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ferric Hexapeptide-35
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Phytosterols, Propylene Glycol, C12-16 Alcohols, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Ceramide NP, Cetearyl Olivate, Linoleic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Amelanchier Alnifolia Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acetyl Glucosamine, Citric Acid, Sorbitol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Herb Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Hylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract, Dehydroacetic Acid, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ceramide AP, Ceteareth-25, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenic Acid, Ceramide Ns, Ferric Hexapeptide-35, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
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 TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
