What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Steareth-21
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion Stabilising3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid
SurfactantCalcium Hydroxymethionine
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Morus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Steareth-21, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Steareth-2, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyacrylamide, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., C13-14 Isoparaffin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Laureth-7, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Retinyl Palmitate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sorbitan Laurate, Polysorbate 20, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Carbomer, 3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid, Calcium Hydroxymethionine, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Xanthan Gum, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide EOP, CI 14700, CI 15985
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Betaine
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Mannitol
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRetinal
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Betaine, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Dicaprylyl Ether, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Ceramide NP, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Stearyl Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Mannitol, Zea Mays Starch, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Dipropylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Retinal, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol
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 TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCetearyl 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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 StearateHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidTocopherol 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 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
